The next post will be the last on the Book of Psalms, which ought to be good news but unfortunately Proverbs comes next. The three psalms we'll read today are attributed to David, although they were in fact written long after he was dead, assuming he ever existed. They are all songs of praise to the Big Guy in the Sky, but they praise him for some weird stuff.
Psalm 144 is one of those martial anthems that praises God for making Israel militarily strong. It repeats the common trope in these of calling Israel's enemies liars, although it isn't stated what they are lying about. Psalm 145 makes the bizarre assertion that God "satisfies the desires of every living thing" and "fulfills the desire of all who fear him," which is, obviously, not true. Psalm 146 asserts that the world is just --
"7 who executes justice for the oppressed;
who gives food to the hungry.The Lord sets the prisoners free;
8 the Lord opens the eyes of the blind.
The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down;
the Lord loves the righteous.
9 The Lord watches over the sojourners,
he upholds the widow and the fatherless;
but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.
This "just world" delusion is a common affliction of the religious. Obviously none of these assertions are true. In fact, in the society in which this was written the widow and the fatherless were generally destitute, and there was plenty of hunger. But you know, you can just say it.
A Psalm of David.
144 Blessed be the Lord, my rock,
who trains my hands for war,
and my fingers for battle;
2 my rock[a] and my fortress,
my stronghold and my deliverer,
my shield and he in whom I take refuge,
who subdues the peoples under him.[b]3 O Lord, what is man that thou dost regard him,
or the son of man that thou dost think of him?
4 Man is like a breath,
his days are like a passing shadow.5 Bow thy heavens, O Lord, and come down!
Touch the mountains that they smoke!
6 Flash forth the lightning and scatter them,
send out thy arrows and rout them!
7 Stretch forth thy hand from on high,
rescue me and deliver me from the many waters,
from the hand of aliens,
8 whose mouths speak lies,
and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.9 I will sing a new song to thee, O God;
upon a ten-stringed harp I will play to thee,
10 who givest victory to kings,
who rescuest David thy[c] servant.
11 Rescue me from the cruel sword,
and deliver me from the hand of aliens,
whose mouths speak lies,
and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.12 May our sons in their youth
be like plants full grown,
our daughters like corner pillars
cut for the structure of a palace;
13 may our garners be full,
providing all manner of store;
may our sheep bring forth thousands
and ten thousands in our fields;
14 may our cattle be heavy with young,
suffering no mischance or failure in bearing;
may there be no cry of distress in our streets!
15 Happy the people to whom such blessings fall!
Happy the people whose God is the Lord!Footnotes
- Psalm 144:2 With Ps 18.2, 2 Sam 22.2: Heb my steadfast love
- Psalm 144:2 Another reading is my people under me
- Psalm 144:10 Heb his
A Song of Praise. Of David.
145 I will extol thee, my God and King,
and bless thy name for ever and ever.
2 Every day I will bless thee,
and praise thy name for ever and ever.
3 Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised,
and his greatness is unsearchable.4 One generation shall laud thy works to another,
and shall declare thy mighty acts.
5 On the glorious splendor of thy majesty,
and on thy wondrous works, I will meditate.
6 Men shall proclaim the might of thy terrible acts,
and I will declare thy greatness.
7 They shall pour forth the fame of thy abundant goodness,
and shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.8 The Lord is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
9 The Lord is good to all,
and his compassion is over all that he has made.10 All thy works shall give thanks to thee, O Lord,
and all thy saints shall bless thee!
11 They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom,
and tell of thy power,
12 to make known to the sons of men thy[a] mighty deeds,
and the glorious splendor of thy[b] kingdom.
13 Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and thy dominion endures throughout all generations.The Lord is faithful in all his words,
and gracious in all his deeds.[c]
14 The Lord upholds all who are falling,
and raises up all who are bowed down.
15 The eyes of all look to thee,
and thou givest them their food in due season.
16 Thou openest thy hand,
thou satisfiest the desire of every living thing.
17 The Lord is just in all his ways,
and kind in all his doings.
18 The Lord is near to all who call upon him,
to all who call upon him in truth.
19 He fulfils the desire of all who fear him,
he also hears their cry, and saves them.
20 The Lord preserves all who love him;
but all the wicked he will destroy.21 My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord,
and let all flesh bless his holy name for ever and ever.Footnotes
- Psalm 145:12 Heb his
- Psalm 145:12 Heb his
- Psalm 145:13 These two lines are supplied by one Hebrew Ms, Gk and Syr
Praise for God’s Help
146 Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord, O my soul!
2 I will praise the Lord as long as I live;
I will sing praises to my God while I have being.3 Put not your trust in princes,
in a son of man, in whom there is no help.
4 When his breath departs he returns to his earth;
on that very day his plans perish.5 Happy is he whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the Lord his God,
6 who made heaven and earth,
the sea, and all that is in them;
who keeps faith for ever;
7 who executes justice for the oppressed;
who gives food to the hungry.The Lord sets the prisoners free;
8 the Lord opens the eyes of the blind.
The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down;
the Lord loves the righteous.
9 The Lord watches over the sojourners,
he upholds the widow and the fatherless;
but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.10 The Lord will reign for ever,
thy God, O Zion, to all generations.
Praise the Lord!
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