My Rock and My Fortress

Of David.

1Blessed be the LORD, my rock,

who trains my hands for war,

and my fingers for battle;

2he is my steadfast love and my fortress,

my stronghold and my deliverer,

my shield and he in whom I take refuge,

who subdues peoples144:2 Many Hebrew manuscripts, Dead Sea Scroll, Jerome, Syriac, Aquila; most Hebrew manuscripts subdues my people under me.

3O LORD, what is man that you regard him,

or the son of man that you think of him?

4Man is like a breath;

his days are like a passing shadow.

5Bow your heavens, O LORD, and come down!

Touch the mountains so that they smoke!

6Flash forth the lightning and scatter them;

send out your arrows and rout them!

7Stretch out your hand from on high;

rescue me and deliver me from the many waters,

from the hand of foreigners,

8whose mouths speak lies

and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

9I will sing a new song to you, O God;

upon a ten-stringed harp I will play to you,

10who gives victory to kings,

who rescues David his servant from the cruel sword.

11Rescue me and deliver me

from the hand of foreigners,

whose mouths speak lies

and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

12May our sons in their youth

be like plants full grown,

our daughters like corner pillars

cut for the structure of a palace;

13may our granaries be full,

providing all kinds of produce;

may our sheep bring forth thousands

and ten thousands in our fields;

14may our cattle be heavy with young,

suffering no mishap or failure in bearing;144:14 Hebrew with no breaking in or going out

may there be no cry of distress in our streets!

15Blessed are the people to whom such blessings fall!

Blessed are the people whose God is the LORD!