Prayer can be a powerful thing in your life. The need for humanity to pray is basic and universal. Some say God Himself invites us to pray to Him through the Word, and even through the mundane things through which we find Him in our lives. There is power there, and by offering a prayer, we’re engaging in a conversation with God directly. It moves the heart and mind, and it can help us to begin healing our own lives. To open a dialogue with God is to invite God to be at work in our lives. Personally, I find daily prayer to enhance my day by giving me another chance to thank God for everything I’ve been given.
Recently, my attention was directed to studying the Psalms, specifically a portion of Psalm 144, verse 8, which is known as a prayer for rescue and prosperity. I’d like to share with you the interesting things I discovered about that specific passage. First, let’s go through the exact wording of that passage. Since the person didn’t offer the name of the version of the Bible that they used for the Psalm, I thought I’d show a few different translations so that you could better understand what he was praying for:
New American Standard Bible (©1995)
Whose mouths speak deceit, And whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.
GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
Their mouths speak lies. Their right hands take false pledges.
King James Bible
Whose mouth speaketh vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood.
American King James Version
Whose mouth speaks vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood.
American Standard Version
Whose mouth speaketh deceit, And whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.
Bible in Basic English
In whose mouths are false words, and whose right hand is a right hand of deceit.
Douay-Rheims Bible
Whose mouth hath spoken vanity: and their right hand is the right hand of iniquity.
Darby Bible Translation
Whose mouth speaketh vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood.
English Revised Version
Whose mouth speaketh vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood.
Webster's Bible Translation
Whose mouth speaketh vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood.
World English Bible
whose mouths speak deceit, Whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.
Young's Literal Translation
Because their mouth hath spoken vanity, And their right hand is a right hand of falsehood.
Now, since not too many people can understand some of the wording used, I thought I’d help by defining a few words that I was stuck on myself:
Vanity — Vain brags and threats which shall come to nothing.
Falsehood — Deceiving themselves, by being unable to do what they designed; and others, by not giving them that help which they promised.
Forswearing – Deliberately swearing to one oath and then breaking that oath when it’s convenient for you.
I wonder why the person who sent this particular Psalm thought I’d find anything that would change my mind? Or was it due to the fact that prayers are desperately needed in their own personal lives? And what did they mean by 144:8? Who was it that they thought forswore an oath and then went back on their word? What exhibition of vanity could they be referring to? And who was responsible for the falsehoods?
Since I’m not a theological student, I defer to a wonderful website that helps anyone understand the basics of the more difficult passages in the Bible. http://www.easyenglish.info/psalms/psalm144-taw.htm
What Psalm 144 means
Verses 1 and 2 make us think about Psalm 18. Psalm 18:2 tells us that God is like David’s rock, his fortress, and his *shield. God is like David’s rock because David can "build" his life on God. A rock will not move if there is trouble. In the same way, God will not move. He will always be there to send help. A fortress is a strong building. People are safe in a fortress. In the same way, people are safe with God. So "like a strong place" is the same as "like a fortress". A *shield was what soldiers held over their bodies. It stopped their enemies hitting them. Some Bible students think that "my people" should be "foreign people". Maybe both are true.
Verses 3 and 4 ask questions. People are like wind ... they soon die away. So why does God interest himself in them? The answer is in verse 2. It is because of God’s kind love to people. This is the love that never stops. It never stops, even when we do not obey God.
Verses 5-6 again make us think about Psalm 18. Psalm 18:7-19 tells us that God came to help David in a great storm. The *heavens are where God lives. Flashes of *lightning are the lights in the sky in a great storm. A bow shoots arrows, (sharp bits of wood). But here the arrows are flashes of *lightning.
Verses 7-8 (and 11) talk about foreign people. If *Jewish Bible students are right, then these must be the Philistines. Goliath was a Philistine. "Lies" are words that are not true. The Hebrew Bible does not say, "when they make a promise". It says, "they have false right hands". We think that people lifted up their right hands to make a promise. Here, they were not telling the *truth. They had "false right hands".
Verses 9-10 David prays for help (maybe against Goliath and the Philistines). If God saves David from death by the sword, David will make music to the *LORD. A sword is a long, sharp knife that soldiers use to kill people with. The "ten-stringed harp" made music.
Verses 12-15 pray that God will *bless his people. This means that:
· their children will be strong and beautiful;
· their animals will have good health and many young animals;
· their plants will give plenty of food.
That was helpful, wasn’t it? And wait – there’s more! Some other sites suggested further study within the Bible on those three tricky words. I thought this was most helpful in understanding the meaning that God wants us to take from understanding why we SHOULD NOT use vanity, falsehood and most of all, forswearing.
Leviticus 19:12 And ye do not swear by My name to falsehood, or thou hast polluted the name of thy God; I 'am' Jehovah.
Job 21:34 So how can you comfort me with nonsense, seeing that in your answers there remains only falsehood?"
Psalms 5:6 Thou wilt destroy them that speak lies: Jehovah abhorreth the blood-thirsty and deceitful man.
Psalms 26:4 I have not sat with men of falsehood; Neither will I go in with dissemblers.
Psalms 62:4 They fully intend to throw him down from his lofty place. They delight in lies. They bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly.
Matthew 5:33 "You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, 'Never break your oath, but give to the Lord what you swore in an oath to give him.'
So in closing, thanks to my old friend for trying to share more of his view on faith with me. Thanks a lot buddy! Can’t wait to see you in June!
