Salmi 144

1 Salmo di Davide. Benedetto sia l’Eterno, la mia ròcca, che ammaestra le mie mani alla pugna e le mie dita alla battaglia;

2 ch’è il mio benefattore e la mia fortezza, il mio alto ricetto, e il mio liberatore il mio scudo, colui nel quale mi rifugio, che mi rende soggetto il mio popolo.

3 O Eterno, che cos’è l’uomo, che tu ne prenda conoscenza? o il figliuol dell’uomo che tu ne tenga conto?

4 L’uomo è simile a un soffio, i suoi giorni son come l’ombra che passa.

5 O Eterno, abbassa i tuoi cieli e scendi; tocca i monti e fa’ che fumino.

6 Fa’ guizzare il lampo e disperdi i miei nemici. Lancia le tue saette, e mettili in rotta.

7 Stendi le tue mani dall’alto, salvami e liberami dalle grandi acque, dalla mano degli stranieri,

8 la cui bocca parla menzogna, e la cui destra è destra di frode.

9 O Dio, a te canterò un nuovo cantico; sul saltèro a dieci corde a te salmeggerò,

10 che dài la vittoria ai re, che liberi Davide tuo servitore dalla spada micidiale.

11 Salvami e liberami dalla mano degli stranieri, la cui bocca parla menzogna, e la cui destra è destra di frode.

12 I nostri figliuoli, nella loro giovinezza, sian come piante novelle che crescono, e le nostre figliuole come colonne scolpite nella struttura d’un palazzo.

13 I nostri granai siano pieni e forniscano ogni specie di beni. Le nostre gregge moltiplichino a migliaia e a diecine di migliaia nelle nostre campagne.

14 Le nostre giovenche siano feconde; e non vi sia né breccia, né fuga, né grido nelle nostre piazze.

15 Beato il popolo che è in tale stato, beato il popolo il cui Dio è l’Eterno.

Salmi 144 Commentary

Chapter 144

David acknowledges the great goodness of God, and prays for help. (1-8) He prays for the prosperity of his kingdom. (9-15)

Verses 1-8 When men become eminent for things as to which they have had few advantages, they should be more deeply sensible that God has been their Teacher. Happy those to whom the Lord gives that noblest victory, conquest and dominion over their own spirits. A prayer for further mercy is fitly begun with a thanksgiving for former mercy. There was a special power of God, inclining the people of Israel to be subject to David; it was typical of the bringing souls into subjection to the Lord Jesus. Man's days have little substance, considering how many thoughts and cares of a never-dying soul are employed about a poor dying body. Man's life is as a shadow that passes away. In their highest earthly exaltation, believers will recollect how mean, sinful, and vile they are in themselves; thus they will be preserved from self-importance and presumption. God's time to help his people is, when they are sinking, and all other helps fail.

Verses 9-15 Fresh favours call for fresh returns of thanks; we must praise God for the mercies we hope for by his promise, as well as those we have received by his providence. To be saved from the hurtful sword, or from wasting sickness, without deliverance from the dominion of sin and the wrath to come, is but a small advantage. The public prosperity David desired for his people, is stated. It adds much to the comfort and happiness of parents in this world, to see their children likely to do well. To see them as plants, not as weeds, not as thorns; to see them as plants growing, not withered and blasted; to see them likely to bring forth fruit unto God in their day; to see them in their youth growing strong in the Spirit. Plenty is to be desired, that we may be thankful to God, generous to our friends, and charitable to the poor; otherwise, what profit is it to have our garners full? Also, uninterrupted peace. War brings abundance of mischiefs, whether it be to attack others or to defend ourselves. And in proportion as we do not adhere to the worship and service of God, we cease to be a happy people. The subjects of the Saviour, the Son of David, share the blessings of his authority and victories, and are happy because they have the Lord for their God.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 144

\\<>\\. This psalm was written by David; not on account of the return of the Jews from the Babylonish captivity, by a spirit of prophecy, as Theodoret; but on his own account, after he was come to the throne, and was king over all Israel; and was delivered from the was between him and Israel, and from the war of the Philistines, as Kimchi observes, having gained two victories over them: or it was written between the two victories, and before he had conquered all his enemies; since he prays to be delivered from the hand of strange children, Ps 144:7,11. R. Obadiah thinks it was written on the account of his deliverance from Absalom and Sheba; but the former is best. Some copies of the Septuagint, and also the Vulgate Latin, Ethiopic, and Arabic versions, have in their titles these words, ``against Goliath;'' and so Apollinarius; as if it was written on account of his combat with him, and victory over him; but this clause is not in the Hebrew Bibles; nor could Theodoret find it in the Septuagint in the Hexapla in his time. The Syriac inscription is still more foreign to the purpose, ``a psalm of David, when he slew Asaph the brother of Goliath.'' R. Saadiah Gaon interprets this psalm of the times of the Messiah; and there are several things in it which are applicable to him.