Psalms 144 - Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

CXLIV. Ascribed by LXX and also by T. to David against Goliath, but without any shadow of reason.

Psalms 144:1-11 is really a mosaic chiefly taken from Psalms 18, but also from Psalms 8, 33, 104. It is a song of anticipated triumph. The Psalmist is in conflict with foreign enemies (strangers (Psalms 144:7) can only mean foreigners). God teaches his fingers to fight, for it is the fingers which grasp the bow and subdue peoples (not my people) under him. He prays that a display in storm and lightning may discomfit his foes. They can be bound by no treaty, for the right hand (Psalms 144:8), which is raised in taking an oath, is false and treacherous. But the Psalmist's triumph is secure. David (Psalms 144:10) is an erroneous gloss on his servant.

Psalms 144:12-15 is a Ps., or more probably the fragment of a Ps., describing the blessed lot of Yahweh's people. Observe that the blessing is wholly material. When (Psalms 144:12) has in Heb. no intelligible meaning, and may have belonged to the original continuation of Psalms 144:1-11. The daughters of the Jews in Psalms 144:12 are compared, according to one interpretation with corner pillars carved after the fashion of a palace. But there is no authority for the rendering pillars, and it is unlikely that the Psalmist knew anything of Caryatides.