Bible Commentaries
Psalms 144

Verses 1-15

This Ps. consists mainly of thoughts and quotations from earlier Pss., e.g. 8 and 18. Psalms 144:12-15 are, however, quite unlike anything else in the Psalter, and some suppose them to be a quotation from a lost Ps., possibly by David.

2. My goodness] lit. ’my lovingkindness,’ but with the change of a single Hebrew letter we can render ’my castle,’ which is much more suitable. My people] probably we should render, ’the peoples.’

3, 4. Cp. Psalms 8:4; Psalms 39:5.

7. Strange children] i.e. strangers.

9. See Psalms 33:2.

12. The want of connexion seems to point to a new fragment. Our daughters, etc.] Two renderings are possible: (1) ’our daughters be draped in purple cloth like the hangings of a palace,’ or (2) ’our daughters as corner stones carved after the similitude of a palace,’ strong and graceful. For’ palace’ PBV reads ’temple.’

14. Breaking in] invasion by an enemy.

Going out] either into exile, or to surrender to an enemy. Complaining] RV ’outcry’: cp. Isaiah 24:11; Jeremiah 14:2.