Psalm 144

 1  O blessed ever be the Lord,
       who is my strength and might,
    Who doth instruct my hands to war,
       my fingers teach to fight.

 2  My goodness, fortress, my high tow'r,
       deliverer, and shield,
    In whom I trust: who under me
       my people makes to yield.

 3  Lord, what is man, that thou of him
       dost so much knowledge take?
    Or son of man, that thou of him
       so great account dost make?

 4  Man is like vanity; his days,
       as shadows, pass away.
 5  Lord, bow thy heav'ns, come down,
       touch thou the hills, and smoke shall they.

 6  Cast forth thy lightning, scatter them;
       thine arrows shoot, them rout.
 7  Thine hand send from above, me save;
       from great depths draw me out;

    And from the hand of children strange,
 8     Whose mouth speaks vanity;
    And their right hand is a right hand
       that works deceitfully.

 9  A new song I to thee will sing,
       Lord, on a psaltery;
    I on a ten-stringed instrument
       will praises sing to thee.

10  Ev'n he it is that unto kings
       salvation doth send;
    Who his own servant David doth
       from hurtful sword defend.

11  O free me from strange children's hand,
       whose mouth speaks vanity;
    And their right hand a right hand is
       that works deceitfully.

12  That, as the plants, our sons may be
       in youth grown up that are;
    Our daughters like to corner-stones,
       carved like a palace fair.

13  That to afford all kind of store
       our garners may be filled;
    That our sheep thousands, in our streets
       ten thousands they may yield.

14  That strong our oxen be for work,
       that no in-breaking be,
    Nor going out; and that our streets
       may from complaints be free.

15  Those people blessed are who be
       in such a case as this;
    Yea, blessed all those people are,
       whose God Jehovah is.