Psalm 144 7

Psalm 144:7 kjv

Send thine hand from above; rid me, and deliver me out of great waters, from the hand of strange children;

Psalm 144:7 nkjv

Stretch out Your hand from above; Rescue me and deliver me out of great waters, From the hand of foreigners,

Psalm 144:7 niv

Reach down your hand from on high; deliver me and rescue me from the mighty waters, from the hands of foreigners

Psalm 144:7 esv

Stretch out your hand from on high; rescue me and deliver me from the many waters, from the hand of foreigners,

Psalm 144:7 nlt

Reach down from heaven and rescue me;
rescue me from deep waters,
from the power of my enemies.

Psalm 144 verses

Psalm 144 7 Meaning

Psalm 144:7 is a fervent prayer from David, appealing to God's transcendent power for immediate deliverance. He calls upon the Almighty, who is enthroned "on high," to intervene directly with His omnipotent "hand." The psalmist seeks rescue and redemption from two specific and formidable threats: "great waters," which metaphorically represent overwhelming dangers and chaos, and "the hand of foreigners," signifying literal external enemies and those who oppose God and His people. It expresses an urgent plea for divine salvation from all-encompassing peril, whether natural, circumstantial, or human.

Psalm 144 7 Context

Psalm 144 is attributed to David, likely reflecting his experiences as both a warrior and a king. The psalm begins with praise to God, who trains David's hands for battle (v. 1-2). This establishes David's military background and dependence on God for strength in combat. Following this opening, David ponders the insignificance of humanity in contrast to God's greatness (v. 3-4), a prelude to an urgent prayer for divine intervention.

Verse 7 is a central plea within this prayer section (v. 5-8), where David directly calls for God's action against specific threats. The "great waters" and "foreigners" are not abstract concepts but reflect the concrete dangers David faced throughout his life—natural disasters, political turmoil, and constant warfare against surrounding hostile nations (e.g., Philistines, Ammonites, Aramaeans). Historically, David's reign was marked by frequent conflicts, making his cry for rescue from external foes a realistic and personal lament. Literarily, the language echoes earlier psalms and serves as a powerful expression of reliance on God amidst severe trials, setting the stage for future verses that reiterate the nature of these threats (v. 11) before concluding with a prayer for national prosperity and blessing (v. 12-15).

Psalm 144 7 Word analysis

• Stretch out Your hand: The Hebrew phrase is Shalach Yad (שְׁלַח יָדְךָ).
  • Stretch out (Shalach - שָׁלַח): Signifies to send forth, extend, reach out. It denotes an intentional, active, and decisive action. Here, it is an imperative, a direct command or fervent plea to God.
  • Your hand (Yad-kā - יָדְךָ): The "hand" of God is a common biblical anthropomorphism representing God's power, authority, strength, and active intervention. It symbolizes His ability to create, deliver, destroy, heal, or provide. David appeals to God's full might. This points to God's omnipotence.
• from on high: The Hebrew is mimmārôm (מִמָּרוֹם). This literally means "from height" or "from heaven." It emphasizes God's transcendence, His dwelling in the heavens, far above earthly limitations. It signifies His supreme sovereignty and omnipresent view of earthly affairs, implying that no danger is hidden from Him and His help descends from a position of ultimate power.
• Rescue me and deliver me: The Hebrew here uses the same verb twice: Haṣṣîlēnî wəhaṣṣîlēnî (הַצִּילֵנִי וְהַצִּילֵנִי).
  • Rescue me (Haṣṣîlēnî - הַצִּילֵנִי): This is from the verb natzal (נָצַל), meaning to snatch away, draw out, rescue, deliver, or save from danger. It suggests an urgent, immediate removal from a perilous situation.
  • and deliver me: The repetition of Haṣṣîlēnî amplifies the intensity and urgency of the plea. It emphasizes a complete and decisive liberation, not just protection but active intervention to remove him from the threatening circumstances entirely. This Hebrew grammatical feature underscores the desperation and unwavering trust in God's ability to save.
• from great waters: The Hebrew is mimmayim rabbîm (מִמַּיִם רַבִּים).
  • great waters: This is a potent metaphor throughout the Bible.
    • Literally, it could refer to dangerous floods, stormy seas, or chaotic natural forces.
    • Metaphorically, it commonly represents overwhelming troubles, severe afflictions, crushing enemies, spiritual despair, or even the brink of death. It evokes a sense of being drowned or submerged by circumstances beyond human control. This imagery draws from ancient Near Eastern cosmology, where waters often symbolized primeval chaos and disorder.
• From the hand of foreigners: The Hebrew is mîyad bənê nēḵār (מִיַּד בְּנֵי נֵכָר).
  • From the hand of: Again, yad (יָד) signifies power, control, or grasp. It highlights being under the power or influence of enemies.
  • foreigners (bənê nēḵār - בְּנֵי נֵכָר): Literally, "sons of a stranger" or "aliens." This refers to those who are outside the covenant people of God. In David's context, these were the hostile nations surrounding Israel who worshipped other deities and posed a constant military and ideological threat. It refers to those whose "mouth speaks falsehood and whose right hand is a right hand of deception" (Psa 144:8), distinguishing them by their deceptive character and anti-God nature. This marks a plea for deliverance from external, often idolatrous, enemies.

Psalm 144 7 Bonus section

The distinction between "great waters" and "foreigners" is significant. "Great waters" can represent an almost impersonal force of chaos or an internal state of being overwhelmed, pointing to general, often undefined, distress. "Foreigners," on the other hand, are specific, conscious antagonists, embodying a direct, personal, and external threat. This comprehensive pairing indicates a need for deliverance from every conceivable form of peril, whether chaotic, psychological, physical, or human-originated. This duality reveals the multi-faceted nature of the trials David faced and illustrates the expansive nature of God’s saving power. The "hand of foreigners" is often associated with their false idols and practices, thus the plea for deliverance is also a petition for victory over the ungodly influences they represent.

Psalm 144 7 Commentary

Psalm 144:7 is a desperate yet confident prayer born out of severe trial, encapsulating David's reliance on God's omnipotence amidst dual threats. David’s call for God to "stretch out Your hand from on high" signifies a personal plea for transcendent divine power to intervene. The outstretched hand is a biblically recurrent image of God's active, saving power, most famously seen in the Exodus, where He rescued Israel from Egyptian bondage. David yearns for such a miraculous, decisive deliverance in his current distress.

The threats described—"great waters" and "the hand of foreigners"—represent both existential and practical dangers. "Great waters" typically function as a metaphor for overwhelming forces of chaos, despair, or calamity that threaten to engulf life itself. They denote dangers too vast for human strength, echoing God's power over the primeval deep and the Red Sea. Juxtaposed with this metaphorical danger is the concrete threat of "foreigners," hostile gentile nations or individuals who are enemies of God's people. This highlights both internal and external pressures, from general distress to specific human adversaries.

The double emphasis on "Rescue me and deliver me" underscores the psalmist's profound need and absolute trust that God alone possesses the capability and will to bring complete salvation. It’s an urgent cry, but not one devoid of faith, recognizing that God's authority extends over all earthly and chaotic forces. This verse offers a model for prayer in times of extreme adversity, reminding believers that divine help is available from the sovereign God "on high," capable of delivering from both overwhelming circumstances and tangible human opposition. It speaks to God's active role as a personal Deliverer, one who steps down from His throne to engage directly with the struggles of His people.