Psalm 144 14

Psalm 144:14 kjv

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.

Psalm 144:14 nkjv

That our oxen may be well laden; That there be no breaking in or going out; That there be no outcry in our streets.

Psalm 144:14 niv

our oxen will draw heavy loads. There will be no breaching of walls, no going into captivity, no cry of distress in our streets.

Psalm 144:14 esv

may our cattle be heavy with young, suffering no mishap or failure in bearing; may there be no cry of distress in our streets!

Psalm 144:14 nlt

and may our oxen be loaded down with produce.
May there be no enemy breaking through our walls,
no going into captivity,
no cries of alarm in our town squares.

Psalm 144 verses

Psalm 144 14 Meaning

Psalm 144:14 portrays a comprehensive vision of national well-being, stemming from God's blessing. It describes a society marked by overflowing abundance, peace, and internal order, devoid of invasion, forced removal, or widespread distress. The verse envisions thriving livestock, fertile lands, secure borders, and calm communities where cries of alarm are absent. This state of prosperity and security is presented as a gift from the Almighty, distinct from the condition of nations whose hope is not in the Lord.

Psalm 144 14 Context

Psalm 144 is a prayer attributed to David, divided into two main sections. The first part (verses 1-11) is a supplication for God's mighty intervention in warfare, acknowledging Him as a personal fortress and deliverer, who subdues peoples and stretches out His hand from on high to rescue the psalmist from mighty waters and foreign enemies. This request for military victory flows from David's experiences as king and warrior. The second part (verses 12-15), which includes verse 14, shifts to an expansive vision of the blessings that follow divine deliverance and peace. It paints a picture of societal flourishing, beautiful and strong children, abundant agricultural yields, prosperous livestock, and absolute peace and security within the nation's borders. This picture stands in stark contrast to the strife and distress of warfare that characterized the earlier verses. It implicitly forms a polemic against the idea that national strength and prosperity are purely human achievements; instead, they are contingent on God's favor and intervention. The final verse, Psalm 144:15, concludes by explicitly stating that a nation is blessed whose God is the Lord, highlighting the source of all the described prosperity and peace.

Psalm 144 14 Word analysis

• Our oxen will be strong to labor (or: our storehouses/our cattle will be heavy with young)

  • Hebrew: מְאוּכָלֵינוּ (m'ukhalenu) מְסֻבָּלִים (m'subbalim)
  • מְאוּכָלֵינוּ (m'ukhalenu): This is one of the most debated words in the verse. Root is ʼākal (אָכַל), "to eat," "to consume," "to feed."
    • Interpretation 1 (traditional/KJV/NKJV): Derived as "our cattle/oxen" – possibly as a metonymy, "our providers of food," or from a rabbinic tradition connecting it to beasts of burden or cattle for sustenance. The Masoretic pointing leads to this, aligning with ancient versions like the Septuagint and Vulgate. "Strong to labor" then implies robustness and vigor for their work.
    • Interpretation 2 (modern scholarship/NIV/ESV/NASB): Derived as "our storehouses/granaries" (full of food/provision) or "our produce/grain." In this view, "heavy with young" (מְסֻבָּלִים) refers to pregnant livestock or refers back to the granaries being "heavily laden." The general sense of abundance remains the same regardless of whether it's full storehouses or fertile cattle.
  • מְסֻבָּלִים (m'subbalim): From the root sābal (סָבַל), meaning "to bear a burden," "to be heavily laden," "to carry." Can refer to pregnant animals ("heavy with young"), heavily laden wagons, or storehouses packed full.
    • Significance: The combination of these terms emphasizes a picture of overwhelming material blessing and self-sufficiency within the nation, whether from highly productive livestock or overflowing harvests.

• There will be no breaking in or going forth

  • Hebrew: אֵין פֶּרֶץ (ein peretz) וְאֵין יוֹצֵאת (w'ein yotzet)
  • אֵין (ein): "No," "there is not."
  • פֶּרֶץ (peretz): "Breach," "breaking forth," "eruption." Refers to a break in a wall (as in war or calamity, Neh 6:1; Job 16:14), or a violent breakthrough.
    • Significance: "No breaking in" implies impregnable defenses and the absence of enemy incursions.
  • יוֹצֵאת (yotzet): "Going forth," "going out." From the root yatsa (יָצָא), "to go out," "to depart."
    • Significance: Can imply no necessity to go out for battle (as enemies are subdued), or more commonly in this context, no "going out" into captivity or exile, or even no cattle escaping from pastures (if "oxen" is followed). The context of Psalm 144 strongly suggests the absence of military defeat or forced exodus of a conquered populace.

• Nor any outcries in our streets.

  • Hebrew: וְאֵין צְוָחָה (w'ein tzevachah) בִּרְחֹבֹתֵינוּ (b'r'chovotenu).
  • צְוָחָה (tzvachah): "Cry," "shout," "wailing," "outcry." Often associated with distress, alarm, terror, mourning, or injustice (e.g., Exod 22:27, Jer 14:2, Ps 78:64).
    • Significance: This signifies internal peace and tranquility. No public lamentation over war, death, famine, or social injustice. The opposite of a besieged city or a people in distress.
  • בִּרְחֹבֹתֵינוּ (b'r'chovotenu): "In our streets," "in our broad places," "in our public squares." These were the public spaces where life happened, commerce, justice, and social interaction.
    • Significance: The absence of cries in these public areas points to a pervasive sense of well-being, where life unfolds without disruption from sorrow or violence.

Psalm 144 14 Bonus section

The choice of words in Psalm 144:14 reflects a desire for a comprehensive shalom—peace not just as the absence of war, but as holistic well-being encompassing prosperity, security, and communal harmony. This is the ideal state that the Abrahamic covenant aimed for in a physical land (e.g., Gen 12:2-3). While Psalm 144 describes an earthly reality, its underlying longing for peace, safety, and the cessation of all distress finds its ultimate and spiritual fulfillment in the New Covenant and the eternal kingdom, where Christ’s reign truly abolishes all forms of crying, pain, and separation from God (Rev 21:4). The earthly blessings foreshadow the spiritual and eternal blessings.

Psalm 144 14 Commentary

Psalm 144:14 captures a quintessential biblical vision of prosperity and peace for God's people. It moves beyond military victory, the focus of the preceding verses, to describe the blessed state that God grants. The first clause, whether referring to the productivity of livestock ("Our oxen/cattle strong to labor/heavy with young") or the abundance of harvests in granaries, depicts material blessing as a cornerstone of national flourishing. This reflects God's covenant promises, where obedience brings material abundance and sustenance, removing any cause for anxiety about provision.

The second and third clauses, "no breaking in or going forth, nor any outcries in our streets," powerfully articulate a state of complete security and internal harmony. "No breaking in" speaks of impenetrable national borders, protected by God's providence, preventing hostile invasion and devastation. This negates the terror of siege and foreign conquest, a frequent lament in ancient Near Eastern texts. "No going forth" then implies freedom from being led away into captivity or exile, ensuring the nation's people remain in their land, enjoying the fruits of their labor. The culmination is "no outcries in our streets"—a profound indicator of societal well-being. Streets and public squares were the heart of communal life. The absence of cries, whether of distress, alarm, hunger, or lament, signifies a pervasive peace, justice, and contentment within society, where the daily rhythms are undisturbed by calamity or oppression. Together, these phrases depict a truly blessed nation under God's watchful eye, living in safety and tranquility, distinct from the strife and suffering characteristic of a world without God's direct rule.