who trains my hands for war,

my fingers for battle.

He is my loving God and my fortress,

my stronghold and my deliverer,

my shield, in whom I take refuge,

who subdues peoples  under me.

Lord, what are human beings that you care for them,

mere mortals that you think of them?

They are like a breath;

their days are like a fleeting shadow.

Part your heavens, Lord, and come down;

touch the mountains, so that they smoke.

Send forth lightning and scatter the enemy;

shoot your arrows and rout them.

Reach down your hand from on high;

deliver me and rescue me

from the mighty waters,

from the hands of foreigners

whose mouths are full of lies,

whose right hands are deceitful.

I will sing a new song to you, my God;

on the ten-stringed lyre I will make music to you,

to the One who gives victory to kings,

who delivers his servant David.

From the deadly sword deliver me;

rescue me from the hands of foreigners

whose mouths are full of lies,

whose right hands are deceitful.

Then our sons in their youth

will be like well-nurtured plants,

and our daughters will be like pillars

carved to adorn a palace.

Our barns will be filled

with every kind of provision.

Our sheep will increase by thousands,

by tens of thousands in our fields;

our oxen will draw heavy loads. 

There will be no breaching of walls,

no going into captivity,

no cry of distress in our streets.

Blessed is the people of whom this is true;

blessed is the people whose God is the Lord.

~Psalm 144