Seventh-day Adventist Bible CommentaryPsalms 144

Francis D. Nichol (ed.) and contributors

Psalms 144:1

Strength. Heb. ṣur, “rock” (see on Ps. 18:2, 31, 46). Ṣur is used figuratively to denote something solid, enduring, and immovable.

My hands to war. See on Ps. 18:34. The psalmist is not glorifying war itself. David recognized that God gave him the skill to defeat the arrogant and mighty Goliath. In the conflict David did not trust to any human armor, but he went clothed in the panoply of heaven.

Ellen G. White

The divine Worker spends little time on worthless material. Only the precious jewels does He polish after the similitude of a palace, cutting away the rough edges. The process is severe and trying; Christ cuts away the surplus surface, and putting the stone to the polishing wheel, presses it close, that all roughness may be worn off. Then, holding the jewel up to the light, the Master sees in it a reflection of Himself, and He pronounces it worthy of a place in His casket.

Blessed be the experience, however severe, that gives new value to the stone, causing it to shine with living brightness (Letter 69, 1903).

A Painful but Necessary Process—By the mighty cleaver of truth God has brought His people, as rough stones, from the quarry of the world. These stones must be squared and polished. The rough edges must be removed. This is a painful process; but it is a necessary one. Without it, we could not be prepared for a place in God’s temple. By trial, by warnings, by admonitions, God seeks to prepare us to fulfill His purpose. If we cooperate with Him, our characters will be fashioned “after the similitude of a palace.” It is the specified work of the Comforter to transform us. At times it is hard for us to submit to the purifying, refining process. But this we must do if we would be saved at last (Letter 139, 1903).

Children May Be Polished for God—Patiently, lovingly, as faithful stewards of the manifold grace of God, parents are to do their appointed work. It is expected of them that they will be found faithful. Everything is to be done in faith. Constantly they must pray that God will impart His grace to their children. Never must they become weary, impatient, or fretful in their work. They must cling closely to their children and to God.

If parents work in patience and love, earnestly endeavoring to help their children to reach the highest standard of purity and modesty, they will succeed. In this work parents need to manifest patience and faith, that they may present their children to God, polished after the similitude of a palace (NL No. 28, p. 3).

Psalms 144:2

Goodness. Heb. chesed (see Additional Note on Ps. 36). My fortress. See on Ps. 18:2. High tower. See on 2 Sam. 22:3. Shield. Heb. magen, translated “shield” in 2 Sam. 22:3 (see comments there).

Psalms 144:3

What is man! See on Ps. 8:4.

Psalms 144:4

Vanity. Heb. hebel, here probably meaning “a breath.” How transitory is this life of ours! We scarcely have developed our physical and mental powers when we are taken by death.

Psalms 144:5

Ellen G. White

(Psalm 144:5, 6; Nahum 1:5, 6.) Destruction by Water and Fire—In the bowels of the earth God has in reserve the weapons that He will use to destroy the sinful race. Since the Flood, God has used, to destroy wicked cities, both the water and the fire that are concealed in the earth. In the final conflagration God will in His wrath send lightning from heaven that will unite with the fire in the earth. The mountains will burn like a furnace, and pour forth streams of lava [Nahum 1:5, 6; Psalm 144:5, 6 quoted] (Manuscript 21, 1902).

Psalms 144:6

Cast forth lightning. When heaven’s artillery is set in motion how puny is the strength of man to resist it. At the second coming of Christ there will be more terrible manifestations of God’s power than have yet been witnessed (see PP 109).

Psalms 144:7

Great waters. The psalmist changes the figure. Great waters mean overwhelming dangers, and here no doubt refer to David’s enemies, who were on every side.

Psalms 144:8

Right hand. Perhaps meaning that their falsehood was right-handed, that is, they told lies with dexterity.

Psalms 144:9

New song. The psalmist turns from the false to adore that which is true. Weary of earthly liars and deceivers, he turns to God with a new song—a fresh song of praise. His hand also would assist his tongue, for he would employ an instrument of ten strings as his accompaniment. Psaltery. See p. 33. Instrument of ten strings. See p. 36.

Psalms 144:10

Unto kings. Kings are exposed to special danger, and David was no exception. God had preserved him in many battles, but above all this He had extended salvation to him as a guilty sinner.

Psalms 144:11

Strange children. That is, foreign adversaries.

Psalms 144:12

As plants. Verses 12–15 present a picture of a nation greatly blessed by God. The family, the fields, and the barns have all been abundantly prospered. Corner stones. Heb. zawiyyoth, a word occurring only here and in Zech. 9:15, where it refers to the corners of the altar. Some of the Greek translations read “angles.” The LXX has instead a participle, “adorned.” Beauty of form without beauty of character is worthless (Prov. 31:30). Home is a palace when the sons are noble men and the daughters are like princesses. True education in childhood and youth is designed to develop this beauty of character in our children (see CT 496).

Ellen G. White

12. God Spends Time on Jewels—We are God’s workmanship. The value of the human agent depends wholly upon the polishing he receives. When the rough stones are prepared for the building, they must be taken into the shop, and hewed and squared. The process is often sharp as the stone is pressed down upon the wheel, but the rough coarseness is being removed, and the lustre begins to appear. The Lord spends not His time upon worthless material; only His jewels are polished after the similitude of a palace. Every soul must not only submit to this work of the divine hand, but must put to the tax every spiritual sinew and muscle, that the character may become more pure, the words more helpful, the actions such as God can approve (Letter 27, 1896).

Psalms 144:13

All manner of store. The land would be so blessed as to produce ample variety and abundant provision for all.

Psalms 144:14

No breaking in. Or, “no breach,” that is, in the town wall or cattle enclosures. Going out. Either to war and captivity, or the escape of cattle from their enclosures.

Psalms 144:15

Happy. Heb. ’ashre (see on Ps. 1:1). There is no greater happiness than in knowing that we belong to God and He to us.