←Psalm 144→BSB

In This Chapter 1 person 25 terms 2 themes

People

David

Key Terms

Kindness (Solidarity) 5 Seek Safety 5 Shield 4 Arrow 2 Bless (Approval) Blessing (Act) Bless (Favor) Blessing (Content) Blessed Bless (Request Favor) Be Kind Kindness (Benevolence) Kindness (Graciousness) Kindness (Affection) Seek Refugue Salvation (Deliverance) Salvation Save (Help) Salvation (State) Save (Restore) Salvation (Physical) Salvation (Rescuer) Save (Rescue) Salvation (Means) Saving (Means)

Themes

Royal Psalms Wisdom Psalms

Blessed Be the LORD, My Rock

Of David.

ⓘ This lament begins with an exclamation of love...

This lament begins with an exclamation of love for the Lord. The community then reflects on the transitory nature of life (144:3–4). The psalmist prays for divine intervention and anticipates victory (144:5–11). A new song (144:9–10) and a prayer for rescue (144:11) open up the theme of the Lord’s blessing through his provisions and protection (144:12–15).
ⓘ The psalmist’s descriptive names for the Lord reveal...

The psalmist’s descriptive names for the Lord reveal his deep love for him.
1Blessed be the LORD, my Rock,who trains my hands for war,my fingers for battle.2He is my steadfast love and my fortress,my stronghold and my deliverer.He is my shield, in whom I take refuge,who subdues peoples† under me.
ⓘ what are human beings? The same question in...

what are human beings? The same question in 8:4–6 elicits the answer that humans are mere mortals but are also glorious rulers. The psalmist depicts humans as having a transitory, empty existence (see 90:3, 7–10; 102:11; 109:23; 146:4).
3O LORD, what is man, that You regard him,the son of man that You think of him?4Man is like a breath;his days are like a passing shadow.
ⓘ The psalmist prays for God’s intervention against his...

The psalmist prays for God’s intervention against his enemies (cp. 18:7–19).
5Part Your heavens, O LORD, and come down;touch the mountains, that they may smoke.6Flash forth Your lightning and scatter them;shoot Your arrows and rout them.7Reach down from on high;set me free and rescue mefrom the deep waters,from the grasp of foreigners,8whose mouths speak falsehood,whose right hands are deceitful.
9I will sing to You a new song, O God;on a harp of ten strings I will make music to You—10to Him who gives victory to kings,who frees His servant David from the deadly sword.11Set me free and rescue mefrom the grasp of foreigners,whose mouths speak falsehood,whose right hands are deceitful.
ⓘ This prayer for the Lord’s blessing brings the...

This prayer for the Lord’s blessing brings the laments of Pss 140–144 to a close. It offers a vision of God’s provision and protection (see Ps 127), not only for the psalmist, but for his descendants and those of all the godly.
12Then our sons will be like plantsnurtured in their youth,our daughters like corner pillarscarved to adorn a palace.
ⓘ no enemy... no cries of alarm: These images...

no enemy . . . no cries of alarm: These images depict peace and security.
13Our storehouses will be full,supplying all manner of produce;our flocks will bring forth thousands,tens of thousands in our fields.14Our oxen will bear great loads.†There will be no breach in the walls,no going into captivity,and no cry of lament in our streets.
15Blessed are the people of whom this is so;blessed are the people whose God is the LORD.