Psalms

Blessed be the LORD my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight:

1Praise the LORD, who is my strength. He trains my hands for war and my fingers for battle.

2My goodness, and my fortress; my high tower, and my deliverer; my shield, and he in whom I trust; who subdueth my people under me.

2He loves me and keeps me safe. He is my high tower and my rescuer. He is my shield, and I trust him. He puts nations under my rule.

3LORD, what is man, that thou takest knowledge of him! or the son of man, that thou makest account of him!

3LORD, what is a human being, that you notice him? What is a person, that you even think about him?

4Man is like to vanity: his days are as a shadow that passeth away.

4A human life is like a puff of breath. Our days pass like a shadow moving across the ground.

NoteThe KJV word "vanity" here does not mean being proud of how you look. It means something as thin and short-lived as a breath. The same word is used in verse 8, where it means a lie: words with nothing behind them.

5Bow thy heavens, O LORD, and come down: touch the mountains, and they shall smoke.

5LORD, open up the sky and come down. Touch the mountains, and they will smoke.

6Cast forth lightning, and scatter them: shoot out thine arrows, and destroy them.

6Throw down your lightning and scatter my enemies. Shoot your arrows and drive them away.

7Send thine hand from above; rid me, and deliver me out of great waters, from the hand of strange children;

7Reach down your hand from above. Pull me out of the deep water. Save me from the grip of foreigners.

Note"Strange children" in the KJV means foreigners, people from other nations. It does not mean children who are odd.

8Whose mouth speaketh vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

8They tell lies when they speak. Even when they raise their hand to make a promise, they are lying.

9I will sing a new song unto thee, O God: upon a psaltery and an instrument of ten strings will I sing praises unto thee.

9God, I will sing you a new song. I will play music for you on a harp with ten strings.

NoteA psaltery was a stringed instrument, something like a small harp, played with the fingers.

10It is he that giveth salvation unto kings: who delivereth David his servant from the hurtful sword.

10He is the one who gives kings the victory. He rescues his servant David from the deadly sword.

11Rid me, and deliver me from the hand of strange children, whose mouth speaketh vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood:

11Save me. Pull me out of the grip of foreigners. They tell lies, and their promises cannot be trusted.

12That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth; that our daughters may be as corner stones, polished after the similitude of a palace:

12Then our sons will grow strong like well-tended young plants. Our daughters will be like carved pillars that hold up a palace.

13That our garners may be full, affording all manner of store: that our sheep may bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our streets:

13Our storehouses will be full of every kind of food. Our sheep will have thousands and thousands of lambs in our fields.

14That our oxen may be strong to labour; that there be no breaking in, nor going out; that there be no complaining in our streets.

14Our oxen will be strong enough to pull heavy loads. No enemy will break through our walls or carry us away, and no one will cry out in our streets.

Note"No breaking in, nor going out" pictures a walled city: no enemy smashing through the wall, and no one being marched out of it as a prisoner.

15Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the LORD.

15Happy are the people who live like this. Yes, happy are the people whose God is the LORD.