Send thine hand from above; rid me, and deliver me out of great waters, from the hand of strange children;

PSALMS 144:7KJV
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Psalms 144:7 (KJV)

What does Psalms 144:7 mean?

Psalms 144:7 is a prayer asking God to reach down from heaven, rescue the speaker, and save him from overwhelming danger and from people who are foreign or hostile. The verse uses the image of being delivered from "great waters" to describe a desperate situation needing divine help.

David, the traditional author, is speaking directly to God, asking for intervention in a time of trouble. The "great waters" likely symbolize powerful threats or chaos, while "strange children" refers to people who are outsiders or enemies. The verse is a vivid plea for rescue from both overwhelming circumstances and untrustworthy people.

The Hebrew behind Psalms 144:7

  • "Send" (שָׁלַח, shalach): This word often means to stretch out or extend, emphasizing an active, reaching movement from God rather than a distant or passive help.
  • "Great" (רַב, rav): This word means "many" or "mighty," showing that the waters are not just deep but also numerous or powerful, intensifying the sense of danger.
  • "Strange" (נָכְרִי, nokhri): This word means "foreign" or "alien," making clear that the threat comes from people who are outsiders, not part of David's community.

Why Psalms 144:7 matters

  • The verse shows that the danger David faces is both physical (described as "great waters") and relational (from "strange children"), highlighting the need for God's help in all kinds of trouble.
  • By using vivid imagery, the verse connects personal distress to larger themes of chaos and opposition, which are common in the Psalms.
  • The plea for rescue from "strange children" ties this verse to other parts of the psalm, where David describes deceptive or hostile people, helping the reader see the ongoing challenges he faces.

Where else these words appear

“rid” Hebrew H6475 · used in 15 verses

  • Genesis 4:11 And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand;
  • Judges 11:36 And she said unto him, My father, if thou hast opened thy mouth unto the LORD, do to me according to that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth; forasmuch as the LORD hath taken vengeance for thee of thine enemies, even of the children of Ammon.
  • Psalms 144:11 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:

“strange” Hebrew H5236 · used in 35 verses

  • Genesis 17:12 And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed.
  • 1 Samuel 7:3 And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the LORD, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.
  • Psalms 144:11 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:

“above” Hebrew H4791 · used in 52 verses

  • Judges 5:18 Zebulun and Naphtali were a people that jeoparded their lives unto the death in the high places of the field.
  • Psalms 92:8 But thou, LORD, art most high for evermore.
  • Isaiah 37:24 By thy servants hast thou reproached the Lord, and hast said, By the multitude of my chariots am I come up to the height of the mountains, to the sides of Lebanon; and I will cut down the tall cedars thereof, and the choice fir trees thereof: and I will enter into the height of his border, and the forest of his Carmel.