[1] Bless the LORD, my rock, who taught my hands how to fight, who taught my fingers how to do battle! [2] God is my loyal one, my fortress, my place of safety, my rescuer, my shield, in whom I take refuge, and the one who subdues people before me. [3] What are human beings, LORD, that you know them at all? What are human beings that you even consider them? [4] Humans are like a puff of air; their days go by like a shadow. [5] LORD, part your skies and come down! Touch the mountains so they smoke! [6] Flash lightning and scatter the enemy! Shoot your arrows and defeat them! [7] Stretch out your hand from above! Rescue me and deliver me from deep water, from the power of strangers, whose mouths speak lies, [8] and whose strong hand is a strong hand of deception! [9] I will sing a new song to you, God. I will sing praises to you on a ten-stringed harp, [10] to you—the one who gives saving help to rulers, and who rescues his servant David from the evil sword. [11] Rescue me and deliver me from the power of strangers, whose mouths speak lies, and whose strong hand is a strong hand of deception, [12] so that our sons can grow up fully, in their youth, like plants; so that our daughters can be like pillars carved to decorate a palace; [13] so that our barns can be full, providing all kinds of food; so that our flocks can be in the thousands—even tens of thousands—in our fields; [14] so that our cattle can be loaded with calves; so that there won’t be any breach in the walls, no exile, no outcries in our streets! [15] The people who have it like this are truly happy! The people whose God is the LORD are truly happy!
