(By David.)

A prayer for the nation

1I praise you, LORD!

You are my mighty rock,144.1 mighty rock: See the note at 18.2.

and you teach me

how to fight my battles.

2You are my friend,

and you are my fortress

where I am safe.

You are my shield,

and you made me the ruler

of our people.144.2 of our people: Some Hebrew manuscripts and ancient translations have “of the nations”.

3Why do we humans mean anything144.3: Job 7.17,18; Ps 8.4.

to you, our LORD?

Why do you care about us?

4We disappear like a breath;

we last no longer

than a faint shadow.

5Open the heavens like a curtain

and come down, LORD.

Touch the mountains

and make them send up smoke.

6Use your lightning as arrows

to scatter my enemies

and make them run away.

7Reach down from heaven

and set me free.

Save me from the mighty flood

8of those lying foreigners

who can't tell the truth.

9In praise of you, our God,

I will sing a new song,

while playing my harp.

10By your power, kings win wars,

and your servant David is saved

from deadly swords.

11Won't you keep me safe

from those lying foreigners

who can't tell the truth?

12Let's pray that our young sons

will grow like strong plants

and that our daughters

will be as lovely as columns

in the corner of a palace.

13May our barns be filled

with all kinds of crops.

May our fields be covered

with sheep by the thousands,

14and every cow have calves.144.14 have calves: Or “grow fat”.

Don't let our city be captured

or any of us be taken away,

and don't let cries of sorrow

be heard in our streets.

15Our LORD and our God,

you give these blessings

to all who worship you.