Psalm 144. Benedictus Dominus.

1. BLESSED be the Lord my strength, *
   who teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight:
2. My hope and my fortress, my castle and deliverer, my defender in whom I trust; *
   who subdueth my people that is under me.
3. Lord, what is man, that thou hast such respect unto him? *
   or the son of man, that thou so regardest him?
4. Man is like a thing of nought; *
   his time passeth away like a shadow.
5. Bow thy heavens, O Lord, and come down; *
   touch the mountains, and they shall smoke.
6. Cast forth thy lightning, and tear them; *
   shoot out thine arrows, and consume them.
7. Send down thine hand from above; *
   deliver me, and take me out of the great waters, from the hand of strangers;
8. Whose mouth talketh of vanity, *
   and their right hand is a right hand of wickedness.
9. I will sing a new song unto thee, O God; *
   and sing praises unto thee upon a ten-stringed lute.
10. Thou hast given victory unto kings, *
    and hast delivered David thy servant from the peril of the sword.
11. Save me, and deliver me from the hand of strangers, *
    whose mouth talketh of vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of iniquity:
12. That our sons may grow up as the young plants, *
    and that our daughters may be as the polished corners of the temple;
13. That our garners may be full and plenteous with all manner of store; *
    that our sheep may bring forth thousands, and ten thousands in our fields;
14. That our oxen may be strong to labour; that there be no decay, *
    no leading into captivity, and no complaining in our streets.
15. Happy are the people that are in such a case; *
    yea, blessed are the people who have the Lord for their God.