A great pale crag rising from a dry wadi in hard morning light, under a wide clear sky.

Royal psalm · David

Psalm 144

A king who knows how to fight and how short life is, and who knows where peace comes from.

15 verses≈ 3 minBSB

Images are artistic interpretations.

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Where we are

1–41Book IDavid's prayers: 'The LORD is my shepherd'
42–72Book II'As the deer pants'; the throne under pressure
73–89Book IIIAsaph and Korah: the kingdom falls
90–106Book IVBack to Moses: the LORD reigns
107–150Book VSongs of ascents, and the last HallelujahPsalm 144

Blessed Be the LORD, My Rock

Close on a young man's hands fitting an arrow to a short bow, on a practice ground of bare earth.

Of David.

Blessed be the LORD, my Rock,

who trains my hands for war,

my fingers for battle.

He is my steadfast love and my fortress,

my stronghold and my deliverer.

He is my shield, in whom I take refuge,

who subdues peoples under me.

Tap to go deeper: meaning, history and related Scripture

A cloud's shadow sliding across a bare hillside in bright sun, its edge sharp on the pale ground.

O LORD, what is man, that You regard him,

the son of man that You think of him?

Man is like a breath;

his days are like a passing shadow.

A great thunderstorm breaks over the Judean hills at dusk: forked lightning strikes a far ridge, sheets of rain and hail slant down, and wind bends the oaks on a slope, under one smooth, heavy canopy of dark cloud.

Part Your heavens, O LORD, and come down;

touch the mountains, that they may smoke.

Flash forth Your lightning and scatter them;

shoot Your arrows and rout them.

Reach down from on high;

set me free and rescue me

from the deep waters,

from the grasp of foreigners,

whose mouths speak falsehood,

whose right hands are deceitful.

0:22

Narrated by Bob Souer · BSB audio, public domain

Reflect

A breath

“Man is like a breath.” What would knowing that change about this week: what you worry over, what you put off, who you call?

A wooden upright harp of ten strings standing against a plain stone wall, with no one holding it.

I will sing to You a new song, O God;

on a harp of ten strings I will make music to You—

to Him who gives victory to kings,

who frees His servant David from the deadly sword.

Set me free and rescue me

from the grasp of foreigners,

whose mouths speak falsehood,

whose right hands are deceitful.

Psalm 144:15

Pray

Pray for your town

Go through these lines for the place you live: its sons and daughters, its work, its homes, its streets. Ask for “no cry of lament in our streets.” Then ask that its people would know the LORD.

You’ve experienced

Psalm 144

0 of 150 psalms read

A verse to carry with you

Blessed are the people of whom this is so; blessed are the people whose God is the LORD.

Psalm 144:15

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