Psalm 144:5-15

5 Jehova, neige deine Himmel und fahre hernieder; rühre die Berge an, daß sie rauchen!

6 Blitze mit Blitzen und zerstreue sie; schieße deine Pfeile und verwirre sie!

7 Strecke deine Hände aus von der Höhe; reiße mich und errette mich aus großen Wassern, aus der Hand der Söhne der Fremde,

8 deren Mund Eitelkeit redet, und deren Rechte eine Rechte der Lüge ist!

9 Gott! Ein neues Lied will ich dir singen, mit der Harfe von zehn Saiten will ich dir Psalmen singen;

10 dir, der Rettung gibt den Königen, der seinen Knecht David entreißt dem verderblichen Schwerte.

11 Reiße mich und errette mich aus der Hand der Söhne der Fremde, deren Mund Eitelkeit redet, und deren Rechte eine Rechte der Lüge ist;

12 daß unsere Söhne in ihrer Jugend seien gleich hochgezogenen Pflanzen, unsere Töchter gleich behauenen Ecksäulen nach der Bauart eines Palastes;

13 daß unsere Speicher voll seien, spendend von allerlei Art; daß unser Kleinvieh sich tausendfach mehre, zehntausendfach auf unseren Triften;

14 daß unsere Rinder trächtig seien; daß kein Einbruch und kein Ausfall sei und kein Klaggeschrei auf unseren Straßen!

15 Glückselig das Volk, dem also ist! Glückselig das Volk, dessen Gott Jehova ist!

Psalm 144:5-15 Meaning and Commentary

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.