Psalms 144:1

PSALM CXLIV

The psalmist praises God for his goodness, 1, 2.

Exclamations relative to the vanity of human life, 3, 4.

He prays against his enemies, 5-8;

and extols God's mercy for the temporal blessings enjoyed by

his people, 9-15.

NOTES ON PSALM CXLIV

The Hebrew, and all the Versions, attribute this Psalm to David. The Vulgate, Septuagint, AEthiopic, and Arabic, term it, A Psalm of David against Goliath. The Syriac says, "A Psalm of David when he slew Asaph, the brother of Goliath." Calmet thinks, and with much probability, that it was composed by David after the death of Absalom, and the restoration of the kingdom to peace and tranquillity. From a collation of this with Psalms 18:1, of which it appears to be an abridgment, preserving the same ideas, and the same forms of expression, there can be no doubt of both having proceeded from the same pen, and that David was the author. There is scarcely an expression here of peculiar importance that is not found in the prototype; and for explanation I must refer generally to the above Psalm.

Verse Psalms 144:1. Teacheth my hands to war] To use sword, battle-axe, or spear.

And my fingers to fight] To use the bow and arrows, and the sling.