The Lord, My Strength for Battle
Psalms 143
Composed concerning Goliath, David blesses the Lord who trains his hands for war and subdues his people under him, asks God to come down and rescue him from foreign enemies whose words are false, promises a new song on a ten-stringed harp, and describes the peace and abundance of a people whose God is the Lord.
About these editions
The Septuagint (LXX) in Greek, with Charles Thomson’s 1808 and Sir Lancelot Brenton’s 1851 English translations, set beside the King James Version and the Jewish Masoretic text (JPS 1917) where they align, so you can compare the Greek and the Hebrew. All public domain; choose which to show with the controls above.
Thomson 1808Septuagint
Brenton 1851Septuagint
Greek · BrentonSeptuagint
KJV 1769Masoretic
JPS 1917Masoretic
1
ThomsonBLESSED be the Lord my God, Who teacheth my hands to war and my fingers to fight.
BrentonA Psalm of David concerning Goliad. Blessed be the Lord my God, who instructs my hands for battle, and my fingers for war.
GreekΤῷ Δαυὶδ πρὸς τὸν Γολιάδ. Εὐλογήτος Κύριος ὁ Θεός μου, ὁ διδάσκων τὰς χεῖράς μου εἰς παράταξιν, τοὺς δακτύλους μου εἰς πόλεμον·
KJVBlessed be the LORD my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight:
JPS[A Psalm] of David. Blessed be the LORD my Rock, Who traineth my hands for war, And my fingers for battle;
2
ThomsonHe is my mercy and my refuge—my support and my deliverer, my protector in whom I trusted, Who subdueth the people under me.
BrentonMy mercy, and my refuge; my helper, and my deliverer; my protector, in whom I have trusted; who subdues my people under me.
GreekἜλεός μου καὶ καταφυγή μου, ἀντιλήπτωρ μου καὶ ῥύστης μου, ὑπερασπιστής μου, καὶ ἐπʼ αὐτῷ ἤλπισα, ὁ ὑποτάσσων τὸν λαόν μου ὑπʼ ἐμέ.
KJVMy goodness, and my fortress; my high tower, and my deliverer; my shield, and he in whom I trust; who subdueth my people under me.
JPSMy lovingkindness, and my fortress, My high tower, and my deliverer; My shield, and He in whom I take refuge; Who subdueth my people under me.
3
ThomsonO Lord, what is man that Thou shouldst acknowledge him, or a son of man that Thou shouldst regard him!
BrentonLord, what is man, that thou art made known to him? or the son of man, that thou takest account of him?
GreekΚύριε, τί ἐστιν ἄνθρωπος, ὅτι ἐγνώσθης αὐτῷ; ἢ υἱὸς ἀνθρώπου, ὅτι λογίζῃ αὐτόν;
KJVLORD, what is man, that thou takest knowledge of him! or the son of man, that thou makest account of him!
JPSLORD, what is man, that Thou takest knowledge of him? Or the son of man, that Thou makest account of him?
4
ThomsonMan is like vanity, his days glide away like a shadow.
BrentonMan is like to vanity: his days pass as a shadow.
GreekἌνθρωπος ματαιότητι ὡμοιώθη, αἱ ἡμέραι αὐτοῦ ὡσεὶ σκιὰ παράγουσι.
KJVMan is like to vanity: his days are as a shadow that passeth away.
JPSMan is like unto a breath; His days are as a shadow that passeth away.
5
ThomsonO Lord, bow Thy heaven and come down: touch the mountains and let them smoke.
BrentonO Lord, bow thy heavens, and come down: touch the mountains, and they shall smoke.
GreekΚύριε, κλῖνον οὐρανούς σου καὶ κατάβηθι, ἅψαι τῶν ὀρέων καὶ καπνισθήσονται.
KJVBow thy heavens, O LORD, and come down: touch the mountains, and they shall smoke.
JPSO LORD, bow Thy heavens, and come down; Touch the mountains, that they may smoke.
6
Thomson—
BrentonSend lightning, and thou shalt scatter them: send forth thine arrows, and thou shalt discomfit them.
GreekἌστραψον ἀστραπὴν καὶ σκορπιεῖς αὐτοὺς, ἐξαπόστειλον τὰ βέλη σου καὶ συνταράξεις αὐτούς.
KJVCast forth lightning, and scatter them: shoot out thine arrows, and destroy them.
JPSCast forth lightning, and scatter them; Send out Thine arrows, and discomfit them.
7
Thomsonstretch forth Thy hand from on high; rescue me and deliver me from many waters—out of the hand of the children of strangers,
BrentonSend forth thine hand from on high; rescue me, and deliver me out of great waters, out of the hand of strange children;
GreekἘξαπόστειλον τὴν χεῖρά σου ἐξ ὕψους, ἐξελοῦ με καὶ ῥῦσαί με ἐξ ὑδάτων πολλῶν, ἐκ χειρὸς υἱῶν ἀλλοτρίων·
KJVSend thine hand from above; rid me, and deliver me out of great waters, from the hand of strange children;
JPSStretch forth Thy hands from on high; Rescue me, and deliver me out of many waters, Out of the hand of strangers;
8
Thomsonwhose mouth hath uttered falsehood, and whose right hand is a right hand of deceit.
Brentonwhose mouth has spoken vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of iniquity.
Greekὧν τὸ στόμα ἐλάλησε ματαιότητα, καὶ ἡ δεξιὰ αὐτῶν δεξιὰ ἀδικίας.
KJVWhose mouth speaketh vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood.
JPSWhose mouth speaketh falsehood, And their right hand is a right hand of lying.
9
ThomsonO God, to Thee I will sing a new song—to Thee I will play on a ten-stringed psaltery,
BrentonO God, I will sing a new song to thee: I will play to thee on a psaltery of ten strings.
GreekὉ Θεὸς, ᾠδὴν καινὴν ᾄσομαί σοι, ἐν ψαλτηρίῳ δεκαχόρδῳ ψαλῶ σοι·
KJVI will sing a new song unto thee, O God: upon a psaltery and an instrument of ten strings will I sing praises unto thee.
JPSO God, I will sing a new song unto Thee, Upon a psaltery of ten strings will I sing praises unto Thee;
10
Thomsonto Him Who giveth salvation to kings, Who hath redeemed His servant David from the hurtful sword.
BrentonEven to him who gives salvation to kings: who redeems his servant David from the hurtful sword.
GreekΤῷ διδόντι τὴν σωτηρίαν τοῖς βασιλεῦσι, τῷ λυτρουμένῳ Δαυὶδ τὸν δοῦλον αὐτοῦ ἐκ ῥομφαίας πονηρᾶς.
KJVIt is he that giveth salvation unto kings: who delivereth David his servant from the hurtful sword.
JPSWho givest salvation unto kings, Who rescuest David Thy servant from the hurtful sword.
11
ThomsonRescue me and deliver me out of the hand of the children of strangers, whose mouth hath uttered falsehood, and whose right hand is a right hand of deceit—
BrentonDeliver me, and rescue me from the hand of strange children, whose mouth has spoken vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of iniquity;
GreekῬῦσαί με καὶ ἐξελοῦ με ἐκ χειρὸς υἱῶν ἀλλοτρίων, ὧν τὸ στόμα ἐλάλησε ματαιότητα, καὶ ἡ δεξιὰ αὐτῶν δεξιὰ ἀδικίας·
KJVRid me, and deliver me from the hand of strange children, whose mouth speaketh vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood:
JPSRescue me, and deliver me out of the hand of strangers, Whose mouth speaketh falsehood, And their right hand is a right hand of lying.
12
Thomsonwhose sons are like trees well planted when young; their daughters beauteous, adorned like shrines;
Brentonwhose children are as plants, strengthened in their youth: their daughters are beautiful, sumptuously adorned after the similitude of a temple.
Greekὧν οἱ υἱοὶ ὡς νεόφυτα ἱδρυμένα ἐν τῇ νεότητι αὐτῶν· αἱ θυγατέρες αὐτῶν κεκαλλωπισμέναι, περικεκοσμημέναι ὡς ὁμοίωμα ναοῦ.
KJVThat our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth; that our daughters may be as corner stones, polished after the similitude of a palace:
JPSWe whose sons are as plants grown up in their youth; Whose daughters are as corner-pillars carved after the fashion of a palace;
13
Thomsontheir storehouses full and overflowing;
BrentonTheir garners are full, and bursting with one kind of store after another; their sheep are prolific, multiplying in their streets.
GreekΤὰ ταμεῖα αὐτῶν πλήρη, ἐξερευγόμενα ἐκ τούτου εἰς τοῦτο· τὰ πρόβατα αὐτῶν πολυτόκα, πληθύνοντα ἐν ταῖς ἐξόδοις αὐτῶν·
KJVThat our garners may be full, affording all manner of store: that our sheep may bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our streets:
JPSWhose garners are full, affording all manner of store; Whose sheep increase by thousands and ten thousands in our fields;
14
Thomsontheir flocks prolific, abounding in their outwalks; their herds fat. There is no destruction of enclosures—no breaking out—no screaming in their folds.
BrentonTheir oxen are fat: there is no falling down of a hedge, nor going out, nor cry in their folds.
GreekΟἱ βόες αὐτῶν παχεῖς· οὐκ ἔστι κατάπτωμα φραγμοῦ, οὐδὲ διέξοδος, οὐδὲ κραυγὴ ἐν ταῖς ἐπαύλεσιν αὐτῶν.
KJVThat our oxen may be strong to labour; that there be no breaking in, nor going out; that there be no complaining in our streets.
JPS—
15
ThomsonThe people who had such things were hailed happy; but happy is the people, whose God is the Lord.
BrentonMen bless the people to whom this lot belongs, but blessed is the people whose God is the Lord.
GreekἘμακάρισαν τὸν λαὸν ᾧ ταῦτά ἐστι· μακάριος ὁ λαὸς οὗ Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς αὐτοῦ.
KJVHappy is that people, that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the LORD.
JPSHappy is the people that is in such a case. Yea, happy is the people whose God is the LORD.