Psalm 144

Benedictus Dominus
1
Blessed be the Lord my strength, *
who teaches my hands to war and my fingers to fight,
2
My hope and my fortress, my stronghold and deliverer, my defender in whom I trust, *
who subdues the peoples under me.
3
O Lord, what is man, that you have shown such respect to him, *
or the son of man, that you so regard him?
4
Man is like a thing of nought; *
his time passes away like a shadow.
5
Bow your heavens, O Lord, and come down; *
touch the mountains, and they shall smoke.
6
Cast forth your lightning and scatter them; *
shoot out your arrows and consume them.
7
Send down your hand from above; *
deliver me, and take me out of the great waters, from the hand of strangers,
8
Whose mouth talks of vain things, *
and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.
9
I will sing a new song unto you, O God, *
and sing praises unto you upon a ten-stringed lute.
10
You have given victory to kings *
and have delivered David your servant from the peril of the sword.
11
Save me, and deliver me from the hand of strangers, *
whose mouth talks of vain things, and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood;
12
That our sons may grow up as young plants, *
and that our daughters may be as the polished corners of the temple,
13
That our storehouses may be full and plenteous with all manner of gain, *
that our sheep may bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our fields,
14
That our oxen may be strong to labor, that there be no decay, *
no leading into captivity, and no outcry in our streets.
15
Happy are the people of whom this is so; *
indeed, blessed are the people who have the Lord for their God.