Bible Strands
Psalms 144:11
Set me free and rescue me from the grasp of foreigners, whose mouths speak falsehood, whose right hands are deceitful.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — David speaks as the psalmist, addressing God directly in a moment of personal petition following a declarative statement of praise for divine victory (Psalms 144:10). He places this request immediately before describing the subsequent prosperity of his children (Psalms 144:12).
The words — The Hebrew terms פְּצֵ֥/נִי (pe.Tze./ni) and וְ/הַצִּילֵ/נִי֮ (ve./ha.tzi.le./Ni) literally mean "set free/me" and "and deliver/me." These verbs frame the plea for rescue from the "hand" (מִ/יַּ֪ד) of "sons of foreignness" (בְּֽנֵי\־ נֵ֫כָ֥ר).
The thread — The text repeats the identical petition in Psalms 144:7 and parallels the description of deceptive speech found in Psalms 12:2 and Isaiah 44:20. The passages collectively contrast human falsehood with the need for external deliverance.
Why it lands — The verse states that rescue from deceptive enemies requires divine action rather than human effort. It asks the reader to acknowledge God as the sole source of protection against coordinated lies and deceit.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
Rid me, and deliver me from the hand of strange children, whose mouth speaketh vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood:
Cross-references
- Psalms 144:7 Reach down from on high; set me free and rescue me from the deep waters, from the grasp of foreigners,
- Isaiah 44:20 He feeds on ashes. His deluded heart has led him astray, and he cannot deliver himself or say, “Is not this thing in my right hand a lie?”
- Psalms 12:2 They lie to one another; they speak with flattering lips and a double heart.
- 2 Samuel 10:6 When the Ammonites realized that they had become a stench to David, they hired twenty thousand Aramean foot soldiers from Beth-rehob and Zoba, as well as a thousand men from the king of Maacah and twelve thousand men from Tob.
- 2 Samuel 16:5 As King David approached Bahurim, a man from the family of the house of Saul was just coming out. His name was Shimei son of Gera, and as he approached, he kept yelling out curses.
- 2 Samuel 17:1 Furthermore, Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Let me choose twelve thousand men and set out tonight in pursuit of David.