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Wisdom & Poetry · WORLD ENGLISH BIBLE

Psalm 144

Psalm 144 is read especially through the theme of kingship, within Book V (Psalms 107–150). Its language invites attentive prayer before quick application.

KingshipPraiseTrust & Refuge
Old Testament

Psalm 144

1By David. Blessed be the LORD, my rock, who trains my hands to war, and my fingers to battle—

2my loving kindness, my fortress, my high tower, my deliverer, my shield, and he in whom I take refuge, who subdues my people under me.

3LORD, what is man, that you care for him? Or the son of man, that you think of him?

4Man is like a breath. His days are like a shadow that passes away.

5Part your heavens, LORD, and come down. Touch the mountains, and they will smoke.

6Throw out lightning, and scatter them. Send out your arrows, and rout them.

7Stretch out your hand from above, rescue me, and deliver me out of great waters, out of the hands of foreigners,

8whose mouths speak deceit, whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

9I will sing a new song to you, God. On a ten-stringed lyre, I will sing praises to you.

10You are he who gives salvation to kings, who rescues David, his servant, from the deadly sword.

11Rescue me, and deliver me out of the hands of foreigners, whose mouths speak deceit, whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

12Then our sons will be like well-nurtured plants, our daughters like pillars carved to adorn a palace.

13Our barns are full, filled with all kinds of provision. Our sheep produce thousands and ten thousands in our fields.

14Our oxen will pull heavy loads. There is no breaking in, and no going away, and no outcry in our streets.

15Happy are the people who are in such a situation. Happy are the people whose God is the LORD.

READ IN CONTEXT

Understanding Psalm 144

Psalm 144 is read especially through the theme of kingship, within Book V (Psalms 107–150). Its language invites attentive prayer before quick application. Read it within the complete five-book Psalms collection, then compare its prayer language with the types of prayer found across Scripture. Classification is a reading aid rather than a replacement for the Psalm's own movement and tension.

Collection

Book V (Psalms 107–150). The five-book shape of the Psalter helps readers hear individual prayers within a deliberately arranged collection.

Themes detected

Kingship, Praise, Trust & Refuge. Read for these themes while remaining open to tension and secondary movements.

TEXT-DERIVED READING NOTES

What to notice in Psalm 144

Psalm 144 contains 15 verses and about 264 words in this translation. These observations come from the chapter itself; they are prompts for close reading, not claims about its only possible meaning.

The opening movement

Verse 1 begins: “By David. Blessed be the LORD, my rock, who trains my hands to war, and my fingers to battle—” Ask what situation, voice, image, or argument this opening establishes for everything that follows.

The closing movement

Verse 15 closes: “Happy are the people who are in such a situation. Happy are the people whose God is the LORD.” Compare the ending with the opening and note what changed, resolved, intensified, or remained open.

Vocabulary worth tracing

Recurring or prominent content words include will, hand, whose, like, right, hands. Follow where each word appears and whether its meaning shifts with the speaker or setting.

COMMON QUESTIONS

About Psalm 144

Which Bible translation is shown here?+

This page reproduces the World English Bible Protestant edition (WEBP), a modern-English translation dedicated to the public domain.

How should I cite a specific verse?+

Use the book, chapter, and verse—for example, Psalms 144:1—and name the World English Bible if the wording matters. Each verse number above is a direct anchor link.

Does the chapter number define the complete literary unit?+

Not always. Chapter and verse numbers were added for navigation. Check the paragraphs, scenes, poetic stanzas, or argument before and after this chapter.

What kind of Psalm is this?+

Our reading profile emphasizes kingship, with related themes of Kingship, Praise, Trust & Refuge. Many Psalms blend genres or move between moods, so this label is a guide rather than a rigid classification.

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