In verses five through nine of Psalm 144, David continues his very picturesque prayer, pleading for God to act on His behalf and to defend him against his enemies.
“Bow thy heavens, O LORD, and come down: touch the mountains, and they shall smoke.” Psalm 144:5 There was a time when God had done this for David when God delivered him from all his enemies and from Saul. This is recorded in Psalm 18:9, “He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness was under his feet.” Years later, Isaiah voiced a similar prayer, “1) Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence, 2) As when the melting fire burneth, the fire causeth the waters to boil, to make thy name known to thine adversaries, that the nations may tremble at thy presence!” (Isaiah 64:1,2) This gives a picture of a volcano – lava flowing over the top, coming down the mountain, and flowing into the sea and causing the water to boil. This is not the wrath of the goddess Pele or of any other god or goddess. It is the act which shows the presence of the Almighty God who created the universe. It shows the people that He has power over his enemies and causes the nations to tremble.
David continues, “Cast forth lightning, and scatter them: shoot out thine arrows, and destroy them.” (Psalm 144:6) Again, we see a time when God had done this for David, “13) The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire. 14) Yea, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightnings, and discomfited them.” (Psalm 18:13,14) The thunder and lightning are not the work of Thor and Zeus but rather the voice of the Highest, and the arrows of the Lord. They show the power of the Almighty.
David recalled the great power of God and desired God to show that power again in delivering him. “Send thine hand from above; rid me, and deliver me out of great waters, from the hand of strange children.” (Psalm 144:7) David referred to the enemies as “great waters” and “strange children,” so it seems that the enemies referred to in this Psalm were not Saul and his companions or uprisings among his own people. It seems that they were enemies that came from nations outside of Israel. In the Scriptures, “waters” is often used to refer to the kingdoms and nations, especially when they rise up against God or against the people of God. We see the same word pictures in another of David’s Psalms, “Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul. 2) I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me… 13) But as for me, my prayer is unto thee, O LORD, in an acceptable time: O God, in the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy salvation. 14) Deliver me out of the mire, and let me not sink: let me be delivered from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters.” (Psalm 69:1,2 & 13, 14) In another Psalm David says, “For strangers are risen up against me, and oppressors seek after my soul: they have not set God before them. Selah.” (Psalm 54:3)
What are these “strange children” like, these enemies from whom David is seeking deliverance? “Whose mouth speaketh vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood.” (Psalm 144:8) They deceive and speak useless and empty things. Their right hand is a right hand of falsehood. That sounds as if they make lying and deceiving their tool or method to carry out their plans. It is their way of life and the way they try to take to destroy others and to succeed in their own ideas. David looks to the Lord to send forth His hand and deliver him from these enemies.
What is David’s response as he is comforted and assured that God has heard his prayer? “I will sing a new song unto thee, O God: upon a psaltery and an instrument of ten strings will I sing praises unto thee.” (Psalm 144:9) David praises the Lord and sings and plays music to extol and magnify Him for the works which He is going to do. David’s assurance is in the Lord. In the midst of danger and fear, he comforts himself in the confidence that the Lord will hear and answer him and work on His behalf. And he praises and honors the Lord with a song.