144 He praiseth the Lord with great affection and humility for his kingdom restored, and for his victories obtained. 5 Demanding help, and the destruction of the wicked, 9 Promising to acknowledge the same with songs of praises, 15 And declareth wherein the felicity of any people consisteth.
A Psalm of David.
1 Blessed be the Lord my strength, which [a]teacheth mine hands to fight, and my fingers to battle.
2 He is my goodness and my fortress, my tower and [b]my deliverer, my shield and in him I trust, [c]which subdueth my people under me.
3 Lord, what is man that thou [d]regardest him! or the son of man that thou thinkest upon him?
4 Man is like to vanity; his days are like a shadow that vanisheth.
5 [e]Bow thine heavens, O Lord, and come down; touch the mountains, and they shall smoke.
6 [f]Cast forth the lightning and scatter them; shoot out thine arrows and consume them.
7 Send thine hand from above: deliver me, and take me out of the great [g]waters, and from the hand of strangers,
8 Whose mouth talketh vanity, and their right hand is a right hand [h]of falsehood.
9 I will sing a [i]new song unto thee, O God, and sing unto thee upon a viol, and an instrument of ten strings.
10 It is he that giveth deliverance unto kings, and rescueth David his [j]servant from the hurtful sword.
11 Rescue me, and deliver me from the hand of strangers, whose mouth talketh vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood:
12 [k]That our sons may be as the plants growing up in their youth, and our daughters as the corner stones, graven after the similitude of a palace:
13 That our [l]corners may be full and abounding with divers sorts, and that our sheep may bring forth thousands and ten thousand in our streets.
14 That our [m]oxen may be strong to labor; that there be none invasion, nor going out, nor no crying in our streets.
15 Blessed are the people, that be [n]so, yea blessed are the people whose God is the Lord.
Footnotes
- Psalm 144:1 Who of a poor shepherd hath made me a valiant warrior and mighty conqueror.
- Psalm 144:2 Hebrew, my deliverer unto me: for the Prophet cannot satisfy himself with any words.
- Psalm 144:2 He confesseth that neither by his own authority, power or policy his kingdom was quiet, but by the secret grace of God.
- Psalm 144:3 To give unto God just praise, is to confess ourselves to be unworthy of so excellent benefits, and that he bestoweth them upon us of his free mercy.
- Psalm 144:5 He desireth God to continue his graces, and to send help for the present necessity.
- Psalm 144:6 By these manner of speeches he showeth that all the lets in the world cannot hinder God’s power, which he apprehended by faith.
- Psalm 144:7 That is, deliver me from the tumults of them that should be my people, but are corrupt in their judgment and enterprises, as though they were strangers.
- Psalm 144:8 For though they shake hands, yet they keep not promise.
- Psalm 144:9 That is, a rare and excellent song, as thy great benefits deserve.
- Psalm 144:10 Though wicked kings be called God’s servants, as Cyrus, Isa. 45:1, forasmuch as he useth them to execute his judgments: yet David because of God’s promise, and they that rule godly, are properly so called, because they serve not their own affections, but set forth God’s glory.
- Psalm 144:12 He desireth God to continue his benefits toward his people, counting the procreation of children and their good education among the chiefest of God’s benefits.
- Psalm 144:13 That the very corners of our houses may be full of store for the great abundance of thy blessings.
- Psalm 144:14 He attributeth not only the great commodities, but even the least also to God’s favor.
- Psalm 144:15 And if God give not to all his children all these blessings, yet he recompenseth them with better things.