[1] Give praise to the LORD, my Rock. He trains my hands for war. He trains my fingers for battle. [2] He is my loving God and is like a fort to me. He is my place of safety and the God who saves me. He is like a shield that keeps me safe. He brings nations under my control. [3] LORD, what are human beings that you take care of them? What are mere people that you think about them? [4] Their lives don’t last any longer than a breath. Their days are like a shadow that quickly disappears. [5] LORD, open up your heavens and come down. Touch the mountains, and they will pour out smoke. [6] Send flashes of lightning and scatter my enemies. Shoot your arrows and chase them away. [7] My enemies are like a mighty flood. Reach down from heaven and save me. Save me from outsiders who attack me. [8] They tell all kinds of lies with their mouths. Even when they make a promise by raising their right hands, they don’t mean it. [9] My God, I will sing a new song to you. I will make music to you on a lyre that has ten strings. [10] You are the God who helps kings win battles. You save your servant David. From death by the sword [11] save me. Set me free from outsiders who attack me. They tell all kinds of lies with their mouths. Even when they make a promise by raising their right hands, they don’t mean it. [12] While our sons are young, they will be like healthy plants. Our daughters will be like pillars that have been made to decorate a palace. [13] Our storerooms will be filled with every kind of food. The sheep in our fields will increase by thousands. They will increase by tens of thousands. [14] Our oxen will pull heavy loads. None of our city walls will be broken down. No one will be carried off as a prisoner. No cries of pain will be heard in our streets. [15] Blessed is the nation about whom all these things are true. Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD.
