Psalm 144

Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition

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 thy^[c] 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!