Psalm 144: Benedictus Dominus

Blessed be the LORD my rock! *

who trains my hands to fight and my fingers to battle;

My help and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, *

my shield in whom I trust,

who subdues the peoples under me.

O LORD, what are we that you should care for us? *

mere mortals that you should think of us?

We are like a puff of wind; *

our days are like a passing shadow.

Bow your heavens, O LORD, and come down; *

touch the mountains, and they shall smoke.

Hurl the lightning and scatter them; *

shoot out your arrows and rout them.

Stretch out your hand from on high; *

rescue me and deliver me from the great waters,

from the hand of foreign peoples,

Whose mouths speak deceitfully *

and whose right hand is raised in falsehood.

O God, I will sing to you a new song; *

I will play to you on a ten-stringed lyre.

You give victory to kings *

and have rescued David your servant.

Rescue me from the hurtful sword *

and deliver me from the hand of foreign peoples,

Whose mouths speak deceitfully *

and whose right hand is raised in falsehood.

May our sons be like plants well nurtured from their youth, *

and our daughters like sculptured corners of a palace.

May our barns be filled to overflowing with all manner of crops; *

may the flocks in our pastures increase by thousands and tens of thousands;

may our cattle be fat and sleek.

May there be no breaching of the walls, no going into exile, *

no wailing in the public squares.

Happy are the people of whom this is so! *

happy are the people whose God is the LORD!