PRO MILITIA

PSALMVS CXLIII — QVI DOCET MANVS AD PROELIVM

Psalm 143 — Who Teacheth My Hands to Fight

Psalm 143 (144) opens with the warrior's blessing: 'Blessed be the Lord my God, who teacheth my hands to fight and my fingers to war.' This martial psalm of David acknowledges human frailty ('Man is like to vanity') while invoking God as 'mercy, refuge, support, deliverer, and protector.' It was traditionally prayed by soldiers before battle and remains ideal for those facing any form of combat or competition.

LATINE
Benedictus Dominus Deus meus,
qui docet manus meas ad proelium,
et digitos meos ad bellum.
Misericordia mea, et refugium meum:
susceptor meus, et liberator meus:
protector meus, et in ipso speravi:
qui subdit populum meum sub me.
Domine, quid est homo quia innotuisti ei?
Aut filius hominis, quia reputas eum?
Homo vanitati similis factus est:
dies eius sicut umbra praetereunt.
Domine, inclina caelos tuos, et descende:
tange montes, et fumigabunt.
Fulgura coruscationem, et dissipabis eos:
emitte sagittas tuas, et conturbabis eos.
Emitte manum tuam de alto, eripe me,
et libera me de aquis multis:
de manu filiorum alienorum.
Quorum os locutum est vanitatem:
et dextera eorum, dextera iniquitatis.
Deus, canticum novum cantabo tibi:
in psalterio decachordo psallam tibi.
ENGLISH
Blessed be the Lord my God,
Who teacheth my hands to fight,
and my fingers to war.
My mercy, and my refuge:
my support, and my deliverer:
my protector, and I have hoped in Him:
Who subdueth my people under me.
Lord, what is man, that Thou art made known to him?
Or the son of man, that Thou makest account of him?
Man is like to vanity:
his days pass away like a shadow.
Lord, bow down Thy heavens and descend:
touch the mountains and they shall smoke.
Send forth lightning, and Thou shalt scatter them:
shoot out Thy arrows, and Thou shalt trouble them.
Put forth Thy hand from on high, take me out,
and deliver me from many waters:
from the hand of strange children:
Whose mouth hath spoken vanity:
and their right hand is the right hand of iniquity.
To Thee, O God, I will sing a new canticle:
on the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings I will sing praises to Thee.
NOTA
FONS
Psalmus 143:1-9, Vulgata / Douay-Rheims
USUS
Before battle, athletic competition, or difficult confrontation
CONTEXT
This psalm was traditionally prayed by soldiers and warriors. It combines martial imagery with humble acknowledgment of human frailty before God.