POLISHED AFTER THE SIMILITUDE OF A PALACE

PSALM 144

BLESSED BE THE LORD

MY STRENGTH

WHICH TEACHETH 

MY HANDS TO WAR,

AND

MY FINGERS TO FIGHT:

MY GOODNESS,

AND

MY FORTRESS;

MY HIGH TOWER,

AND

MY DELIVERER;

MY SHIELD,

AND

HE IN WHOM

I TRUST;

WHO SUBDUETH

MY PEOPLE

UNDER ME.

LORD, WHAT IS MAN,

THAT THOU TAKEST

KNOWLEDGE OF HIM!

OR

THE SON OF MAN,

THAT THOU MAKEST

ACCOUNT OF HIM!

MAN IS LIKE

TO VANITY:

HIS DAYS ARE AS

A SHADOW

THAT

PASSETH AWAY.

SEND THINE HAND

FROM ABOVE;

RID ME,

AND

DELIVER ME

OUT

OF GREAT WATERS,

FROM

THE HAND OF STRANGE

CHILDREN;

WHOSE MOUTH

SPEAKETH VANITY,

AND

THEIR RIGHT HAND

IS A RIGHT HAND

OF

FALSEHOOD.

I WILL SING

A NEW SONG

UNTO THEE, O GOD:

UPON

A PSALTERY AND

AN INSTRUMENT

OF TEN STRINGS

WILL

I PRAISE UNTO THEE.

IT IS

HE THAT GIVETH 

SALVATION UNTO KINGS:

WHO DELIVERETH DAVID

HIS SERVANT

FROM THE HURTFUL SWORD.

RID ME,

AND

DELIVER ME

FROM

THE HAND OF STRANGE

CHILDREN,

WHOSE MOUTH

SPEAKETH VANITY,

AND

THEIR RIGHT HAND

IS A RIGHT

HAND OF FALSEHOOD:

THAT 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:

THAT OUR

GARNERS MAY BE FULL,

AFFORDING ALL MANNER OF
STORE:

THAT OUR SHEEP

MAY

BRING FORTH

THOUSANDS

AND

TEN THOUSANDS

IN OUR STREETS:

THAT OUR OXEN

MAY BE

STRONG TO LABOUR;

THAT THERE BE

NO

BREAKING IN,

NOR

GOING OUT;

THAT

THERE BE NO

COMPLAINING

IN

OUR STREETS.

HAPPY IS THAT PEOPLE,

THAT IS IN

SUCH A CASE:

YEA, HAPPY

IS

THAT PEOPLE

WHOSE GOD IS THE LORD.

LOVE