Psalm 144

W. van der Kamp, 1972

1. Blest be the LORD, my rock, He who sustains me.
   My hands are strong, my God for battle trains me;
   My fortress and my rock to whom I flee,
   He is my strong hold and delivers me.
   God is my shield when enemies surround me,
   And in Him I take refuge when they hound me.
   Praise Him who dwells between the cherubim,
   And who subdues the peoples under Him.
   
2. O LORD, what is a man that Thou dost heed him,
   The son of man that Thou wilt help and lead him,
   That Thou dost think of coming to his aid?
   Man is like breath, his days a passing shade.
   LORD, bow Thy heavens, see my foes assemble;
   Come, touch the mountains, that they smoke and tremble!
   Flash forth Thy lightnings and fight Thou our fight;
   Send out Thy arrows, rout them in their flight!
   
3. Stretch from on high Thy hand toward those who hound me
   And draw me from the waters all around me.
   O rescue me from my despair and woes;
   Deliver me from hands of alien foes,
   Whose mouths are filled with slander and with lying,
   Whose right hand carries falsehood. Hear my crying;
   See how their might will overpower me.
   Come to my help: whom have I, LORD, but Thee?
   
4. O God, to Thee a new song I’ll be singing:
   My ten-stringed harp will with Thy praise be ringing,
   For unto kings Thou givest victory;
   Thy servant David Thou dost help and free.
   Save me from swords that for my life are vying,
   From alien foes, whose mouth is full of lying,
   Whose right hand is the right hand of deceit.
   Turn Thou their pride to shame and to defeat.
   
5. May in their youth our sons like saplings flourish,
   Like plants full-grown which Thou with rain dost nourish,
   Our daughters with their beauty us enthrall
   Like graceful columns in a palace hall;
   And may our garners all be overflowing,
   On us their fruit of every kind bestowing.
   May in our fields our sheep so multiply
   That their ten thousands every count defy.
   
6. May all those blessings to Thy praise incite us,
   Our cattle, heavy with their young, delight us,
   Untimely birth and mischance not be known,
   No locusts raze the crops our hands have sown.
   May in our streets no anguished cry distress us.
   Remember Thou Thy people’s prayer and bless us.
   How happy those who reap such rich reward!
   Yes, happy those whose king is God the LORD!