Psalms 144
Cambridgei. The Psalmist praises Jehovah as the Giver of victory (Psalms 144:1-2), and marvels that He Who is so great should condescend to care for man who is so insignificant and transitory (Psalms 144:3-4). He prays that Jehovah will appear and interpose on his behalf, for he is hard pressed by faithless and treacherous foreigners (Psalms 144:5-8). ii. A vow of thanksgiving for the victory which he is confident will be granted, and a repeated prayer for deliverance (Psalms 144:9-11). iii. A description of the peace and prosperity of Jehovah’s people (Psalms 144:12-15). This Psalm is a compilation from Psalms 18, 8, 39, 104, 33, and apparently from some poem which has not been preserved. Psalms 144:12-15 might no doubt have been written by the compiler himself; but the general character of the Psalm, and the looseness of the connexion with the preceding verses make it tolerably certain that these verses also were borrowed. The Psalm bears the name of David, partly perhaps from its similarity to Psalms 18, and partly from the mention of David in Psalms 144:10. The LXX adds against Goliath to the title: comp. the Targum of Psa 144:10, “from the evil sword of Goliath.” But the compilatory character of the Psalm stamps it as a secondary production; and certain features in the language (especially in Psalms 144:12-15) point to a late date. In Psalms 144:1-11 some leader of the people speaks as its representative; in Psalms 144:12-15 he associates his fellow-citizens with himself, and uses the first person plural.
Psalms 144:1-2
1, 2. Praise of Jehovah the Giver of victory.
Psalms 144:2
- Cp. Psalms 18:2; Psalms 18:47, and notes there. My goodness] Rather, my lovingkindness, a bold expression for the God of my lovingkindness (Psalms 59:10; Psalms 59:17), to denote Jehovah as the sum and source of lovingkindness. A partial parallel may be found in Jonah 2:8, but in view of the fact that the verse is almost wholly derived from Psalms 18, it seems not improbable that we should read as in Psalms 18:1, my strength (ηζχι for ηρψι), or as in Psalms 18:2, my cliff (ρμςι), which agrees better with the next epithet my fortress or stronghold. my deliverer] Lit. my deliverer for me, as in 2 Samuel 22:2. In Psalms 18 for me is omitted. my shield, and he in whom I have taken refuge] A somewhat awkward variation from the text in Psalms 18, “my rock in whom I take refuge, my shield.” who subdueth my people under me] The phrase resembles the text of 2 Samuel 22:48 (who bringeth down) more closely than that of Psa 18:47 (and led subject, a different word from that used here). Instead of my people both texts read peoples, which is supported by some MSS and several Versions (Aq. Syr. Jer. Targ.) here. If Israel is the speaker, this reading must be adopted here, and the reference must be to the subjugation of neighbouring nations: but if the leader of the community is speaking, the more difficult reading ‘my people,’ which is supported by the LXX, may be right. The reference will then be to his success in overcoming internal dissensions (cp. “the strivings of my people,” 2 Samuel 22:44) and the establishment of his authority.
Psalms 144:3-4
3, 4. From the enthusiastic contemplation of Jehovah’s goodness the Psalmist turns to reflect upon the character of the object of it. Man’s insignificance and transitoriness enhance the marvel of God’s gracious care for him.
Psalms 144:4
- vanity] Or, a breath, unsubstantial and evanescent (a different word from that in Psalms 144:8; Psalms 144:11). Cp. Psalms 39:5; Psalms 39:11; Psalms 62:9. his days &c.] Cp. Psalms 102:11; Psalms 109:23; Job 8:9; Ecclesiastes 6:12.
Psalms 144:5-8
5–8. Prayer that God will appear in His majesty and deliver the Psalmist from his treacherous enemies.
Psalms 144:6
- Lighten lightning, and scatter them: Send forth thine arrows, and discomfit them. A variation of Psa 18:14, corresponding again more closely to the text of 2 Samuel 22:15. Them must refer to the enemies who are in the Psalmist’s mind, though he has not expressly mentioned them.
Psalms 144:7
- Stretch forth thine hands from on high: Rescue me, and deliver me out of many waters, out of the hand of strangers. From Psalms 18:16; Psalms 18:45, description being again changed to prayer. For hands some MSS and all Ancient Versions read hand. The word rendered rescue is a word used in this sense only here and in Psalms 144:10-11 in the O.T., but common in Aramaic. It is an indication of the late date of the Psalm. Great or many waters are a figure for overwhelming dangers, here particularly the attacks of foreign enemies, or possibly the tyranny of foreign rulers.
Psalms 144:8
- vanity] i.e. falsehood: cp. Psalms 12:2; Psalms 41:6. their right hand &c.] Uplifted in swearing a solemn oath. Cp. Psalms 106:26.
Psalms 144:9-11
9–11. A promise to give thanks for the victory which he is confident will be granted, and a repetition of his prayer for deliverance.
Psalms 144:10
- Cp. Psalms 18:50. Who giveth salvation (or victory) unto kings may be meant as a general truth not to be limited to Israel only (cp. Psalms 33:16), and David his servant may denote the typical ruler of Jehovah’s people (cp. Ezekiel 34:23); or the reference may be historical, who gave victory … who rescued David. the hurtful (lit. evil) sword] i.e. from the calamity of war. The Targ. renders ‘the evil sword of Goliath,’ but the reference is quite general.
Psalms 144:11
- The repetition of the prayer of Psa 144:7-8 follows naturally upon the mention of Jehovah’s attributes in Psalms 144:10.
Psalms 144:12-15
12–15. A description of the prosperity of Israel under the protection and blessing of Jehovah. Cp. generally Deuteronomy 28:2 ff; Deuteronomy 30:9. The absolute dependence of the earlier verses upon existing Psalms makes it probable that these verses also are borrowed, though the poem from which they were taken is not preserved; and the absence of a clear grammatical connexion with the preceding verses makes this probability almost a certainty. What the compiler intended the connexion to be (for considering the general character of the Psalm we need not doubt that he appended them himself) is much disputed. (1) The LXX (followed of course by the Vulg.) changes the pronouns to the third person, and makes Psalms 144:12-14 describe the temporal prosperity of the enemies of Israel referred to in Psalms 144:11. “Whose mouth hath spoken vanity … whose sons are as young plants &c.” Psalms 144:15 then describes the contrast between this temporal happiness and the true spiritual happiness which Israel possesses. ‘Men call the people happy who have these things; (but truly) happy is the people whose God is the Lord.’ This however can only be regarded as a conjectural alteration, and not as the true reading. (2) It is possible to render, We whose sons, or (R.V.) When our sons &c., and to take Psalms 144:15 as the apodosis, but such a lengthy protasis as the whole of Psa 144:12-14 is awkward. (3) The A.V., which follows Aq., Symm. and Jer., may give the right meaning. The goal to which the Psalmist looks forward as the end of deliverance from enemies is the happiness and prosperity of the nation. No doubt the construction is harsh, but it may be explained by the supposition that the Psalmist borrowed the description in Psalms 144:12-14, and tacked it loosely on to the rest of his poem by the particle of relation or conjunction asher, without altering the construction of the passage to suit it.
Psalms 144:13
- all manner of store] Lit. from kind to kind, every kind of produce. The word is an indication of the late date of the Psalm. It occurs elsewhere in the Heb. of the O.T. only in 2 Chronicles 16:14; (Heb.) Sir 38:28; Psalms 49:8 (?), but is common in Aramaic. in our streets] Rather, in our fields.
Psalms 144:14
- our oxen … strong to labour] Both words are of uncertain meaning. (1) Most commentators follow the Ancient Versions in regarding the word allϋphξm here as a variant form for alβphξm, ‘oxen’ or ‘cattle.’ Oxen, it is thought, are naturally mentioned after sheep. The participle m’subbβlξm is variously explained. As it is passive in form it can hardly mean capable of bearing burdens, strong to labour (A.V.); and as it is masculine, it can hardly mean laden with young, pregnant. It is not a natural expression fox fat and strong, as the LXX, Aq., Symm. and Jerome render it, i.e. loaded with flesh. Most probably it means well laden (R.V.) with the produce of the fields which they draw home in carts. (2) Allϋphξm however may mean chieftains (cp. Zechariah 12:5-6), and in Ezra 6:3 the verb in Aramaic appears to mean set up or firmly established. In such a late Psalm it is quite possible that the word might be used in the sense it bears in Aramaic (cp. the word for rescue in Psalms 144:7), and the meaning our chieftains firmly established suits the context very well. It is of course to be connected with the remainder of the verse, and not with Psalms 144:13. If the leaders of the community are strong and their authority well established, the community will be in less danger of attacks from without. no breaking in] No hostile invasion of the country: or, no breach in the city walls by which the enemy may enter (Nehemiah 6:1). nor going out] No going forth to surrender to the enemy (Amos 4:3; 2 Kings 24:11), or into captivity (Jeremiah 29:16): or no sallying forth to repel an attacking force. no complaining in our streets] No outcry of citizens surprised by the enemy, or generally, no cry of mourning for disaster (Jeremiah 14:2; Jeremiah 46:12), in our broad places (Jeremiah 5:1), the open space inside the city gates, which was the usual place of concourse for the citizens, where justice was administered, and business transacted.
Psalms 144:15
- Happy is the people of Jehovah’s choice, to whom He shews such manifest tokens of His favour in temporal prosperity; and yet more truly happy are they in the spiritual blessing of having Jehovah for their God. He is the source and sum of all true happiness, temporal and eternal. The second line is from Psalms 33:12, with the substitution of the later form of the relative pronoun sh for asher. See note on p. 739.