Psalms 144:6
4 Man is like to vanity: his days are as a shadow that passeth away.
5 Bow thy heavens, O LORD, and come down: touch the mountains, and they shall smoke.
Cast forth lightning, and scatter them: shoot out thine arrows, and destroy them.
7 Send thine hand from above; rid me, and deliver me out of great waters, from the hand of strange children;
8 Whose mouth speaketh vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood.
This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- Flash forth Your lightning and scatter them; shoot Your arrows and rout them.
- KJV
- Cast forth lightning, and scatter them: shoot out thine arrows, and destroy them.
- WEB
- Throw out lightning, and scatter them. Send out your arrows, and rout them.
- ASV
- Cast forth lightning, and scatter them; Send out thine arrows, and discomfit them.
- DARBY
- Cast forth lightnings, and scatter them; send forth thine arrows, and discomfit them:
- BLB
- Flash lightning and scatter them; send forth Your arrows and rout them!
- ÅB
- La lynet lyne og spred dem[^1], send dine piler og skrem dem!
- OTB
- Send lyn og spred dem;
Skyt Dine piler og forvirr dem. - B1930
- La lynet lyne og spred dem, send dine piler og skrem dem! / < fiendene.>
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Deuteronomy 32:23
I will heap mischiefs upon them; I will spend mine arrows upon them.
Read in contextPsalms 18:13–14
The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire.
Read in contextDeuteronomy 32:42
I will make mine arrows drunk with blood, and my sword shall devour flesh; and that with the blood of the slain and of the captives, from the beginning of revenges upon the enemy.
Read in contextPsalms 21:12
Therefore shalt thou make them turn their back, when thou shalt make ready thine arrows upon thy strings against the face of them.
Read in contextPsalms 45:5
Thine arrows are sharp in the heart of the king’s enemies; whereby the people fall under thee.
Read in contextPsalms 7:12–13
If he turn not, he will whet his sword; he hath bent his bow, and made it ready.
Read in context2 Samuel 22:12–15
And he made darkness pavilions round about him, dark waters, and thick clouds of the skies.
Read in contextPsalms 77:17–18
The clouds poured out water: the skies sent out a sound: thine arrows also went abroad.
Read in context