John Calvin Commentary Psalms 144:7

"Stretch forth thy hand from above; Rescue me, and deliver me out of great waters, Out of the hand of aliens;" — Psalms 144:7 (ASV)

Send your hand, etc. In short, we are now made to see what was meant by the figures formerly used—that in the absence of all earthly help, God would put forth His hand from above, the greatness of the urgency making extraordinary help necessary. Accordingly, he compares his enemies to great and deep waters.

He calls them strangers, not with respect to generic origin, but character and disposition. It would be a mistake to refer the term to the uncircumcision, for David rather comments critically on degenerate Jews who gloried in the flesh; and shortly afterwards, he hints that he had to do with internal foes rather than a foreign enemy, who would openly assault him with violence and arms.

Some interpret "the right hand of falsehood" as rash attempts, which David hoped would be frustrated. Others limit the phrase to the solemn ceremony of taking an oath, as if he said they were perjured; while others explain it as meaning that they not only lied with the tongue but also executed wicked devices with the hand.

But as it was customary in making promises to join hands, as Solomon says (Proverbs 11:21; Proverbs 16:5), I have no doubt David’s reference here is to false, treacherous, and perfidious persons. The two things go naturally together in the verse—the lying tongue and the deceitful hand—meaning, in essence, that nothing was to be expected from any of their promises, since it was only to deceive that they flattered with their mouth and gave the hand.