Frameworks:
Psalm 144: Prayer for deliverance from foreign enemies
Of
David.
[Preliminary
Comments: A further psalm of David that is a prayer
for deliverance from enemies – this time not domestic enemies
but foreign ones [see v.7,11].
Part
1: He praises God for who He has made him to be [v.1] and that
He has become his security [v.2] and he marvels over this as he
reflects on the almost insignificance of human beings [v.3,4].
Part
2: But he has a need and so he prays for the Lord to come down
in power to deliver him [v.5-8] but at the same time is aware
of a song of praise and confidence rising in him [v.9,10]. A second
time he prays for deliverance from foreign enemies [v.11] knowing
that such a deliverance will also bring security to their families
[v.12] and then blessing on the nation [v.13,14], blessing which
all those who trust in the Lord will know [v.15]. Prayers for
deliverance from foreign enemies, in order to bring peace, stability
and blessing to the nation.]
PART
ONE: v.1-4: Rejoicing in the goodness of the Lord
v.1
David acknowledges that the Lord leads him as a warrior
v.1
Praise
be to the Lord my Rock,
who trains my hands for war,
my fingers for battle.
v.2
He acclaims the Lord as his security
v.2
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.
v.3,4
He marvels at this for humans are so frail and insignificant
v.3
Lord , what are human beings that you care for them,
mere mortals that you think of them?
v.4 They
are like a breath;
their days are like a fleeting shadow.
PART
TWO: v.5-15: Praying for deliverance from foreign enemies
v.5-8
He calls for the Lord to come down in power to rescue him from
enemies
v.5
Part
your heavens, Lord , and come down;
touch the mountains, so that they smoke.
v.6 Send
forth lightning and scatter the enemy;
shoot your arrows and rout them.
v.7 Reach
down your hand from on high;
deliver me and rescue me
from the mighty waters,
from the hands of foreigners
v.8 whose
mouths are full of lies,
whose right hands are deceitful.
v.9,10
His confidence in the Lord brings a song to his heart
v.9
I
will sing a new song to you, my God;
on the ten-stringed lyre I will make music
to you,
v.10
to
the One who gives victory to kings,
who delivers his servant David.
v.11
Again he prays for deliverance from enemies….
From
the deadly sword
v.11
deliver
me;
rescue me from the hands of foreigners
whose mouths are full of lies,
whose right hands are deceitful.
v.12
…knowing this will also bring blessing on his family
v.12
Then
our sons in their youth
will be like well-nurtured plants,
and our daughters will be like pillars
carved to adorn a palace.
v.13,14
He rejoices in the blessings that will follow
v.13
[i] Our
barns will be filled
with every kind of provision.
[ii] Our sheep will increase
by thousands,
by tens of thousands in our fields;
v.14
[iii] our oxen will draw heavy
loads.
[iv] There will be no breaching
of walls,
[v] no
going into captivity,
[vi] no
cry of distress in our streets.
v.15
He acclaims the blessings for the [faithful] people of God
v.15
Blessed
is the people of whom this is true;
blessed is the people whose God is the
Lord.
[Additional
Comments: Go back over the psalm and note David's confidence
in the Lord, the problem he faces, and the blessings he anticipates
will follow.]
Continue
to Psa 145