PSALM 144

A Psalm of David.

1 Blessed be the Lord, my rock,

who trains my hands for war,

and my fingers for battle;

2 my rock* and my fortress,

my stronghold and my deliverer,

my shield and he in whom I take refuge,

who subdues the peoples under him.g

3 O Lord, what is man that thou dost regard him,

or the son of man that thou dost think of him?

4 Man is like a breath,

his days are like a passing shadow.

5 Bow thy heavens, O Lord, and come down!

Touch the mountains that they smoke!

6 Flash forth the lightning and scatter them,

send out thy arrows and rout them!

7 Stretch forth thy hand from on high,

rescue me and deliver me from the many waters,

from the hand of aliens,

8 whose mouths speak lies,

and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

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

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

10 who givest victory to kings,

who rescuest David thyh servant.

11 Rescue me from the cruel sword,

and deliver me from the hand of aliens,

whose mouths speak lies,

and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

12 May our sons in their youth

be like plants full grown,

our daughters like corner pillars

cut for the structure of a palace;

13 may our garners be full,

providing all manner of store;

may our sheep bring forth thousands

and ten thousands in our fields;

14 may our cattle be heavy with young,

suffering no mischance or failure in bearing;

may there be no cry of distress in our streets!

15 Happy the people to whom such blessings fall!

Happy the people whose God is the Lord!

PSALM 145

A Song of Praise. Of David.

1 I will extol thee, my God and King,

and bless thy name for ever and ever.

2 Every day I will bless thee,

and praise thy name for ever and ever.

3 Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised,

and his greatness is unsearchable.

4 One generation shall laud thy works to another,

and shall declare thy mighty acts.

5 On the glorious splendor of thy majesty,

and on thy wondrous works, I will meditate.

6 Men shall proclaim the might of thy terrible acts,

and I will declare thy greatness.

7 They shall pour forth the fame of thy abundant goodness,

and shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.

8 The Lord is gracious and merciful,

slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

9 The Lord is good to all,

and his compassion is over all that he has made.

10 All thy works shall give thanks to thee, O Lord,

and all thy saints shall bless thee!

11 They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom,

and tell of thy power,

12 to make known to the sons of men thyh mighty deeds,

and the glorious splendor of thyh kingdom.

13 Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,

and thy dominion endures throughout all generations.

The Lord is faithful in all his words,

and gracious in all his deeds.i

14 The Lord upholds all who are falling,

and raises up all who are bowed down.

15 The eyes of all look to thee,

and thou givest them their food in due season.

16 Thou openest thy hand,

thou satisfiest the desire of every living thing.

17 The Lord is just in all his ways,

and kind in all his doings.

18 The Lord is near to all who call upon him,

to all who call upon him in truth.

19 He fulfils the desire of all who fear him,

he also hears their cry, and saves them.

20 The Lord preserves all who love him;

but all the wicked he will destroy.

21 My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord,

and let all flesh bless his holy name for ever and ever.

PSALM 146

1 Praise the Lord!

Praise the Lord, O my soul!

2 I will praise the Lord as long as I live;

I will sing praises to my God while I have being.

3 Put not your trust in princes,

in a son of man, in whom there is no help.

4 When his breath departs he returns to his earth;

on that very day his plans perish.

5 Happy is he whose help is the God of Jacob,

whose hope is in the Lord his God,

6 who made heaven and earth,

the sea, and all that is in them;

who keeps faith for ever;

7 who executes justice for the oppressed;

who gives food to the hungry.

The Lord sets the prisoners free;

8 the Lord opens the eyes of the blind.

The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down;

the Lord loves the righteous.

9 The Lord watches over the sojourners,

he upholds the widow and the fatherless;

but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.

10 The Lord will reign for ever,

thy God, O Zion, to all generations.

Praise the Lord!