Psalms 44

1 For the Chief Musician. By the sons of Korah. A contemplative psalm. We have heard with our ears, God; our fathers have told us what work you did in their days, in the days of old.

Unto the end. To the sons of Korah, toward understanding. We have heard, O God, with our own ears. Our fathers have announced to us the work that you wrought in their days and in the days of antiquity.

2 You drove out the nations with your hand, but you planted them. You afflicted the peoples, but you spread them abroad.

Your hand dispersed the Gentiles, and you transplanted them. You afflicted a people, and you expelled them.

3 For they didn’t get the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them; but your right hand, your arm, and the light of your face, because you were favorable to them.

For they did not take possession of the land by their sword, and their own arm did not save them. But your right hand and your arm, and the light of your countenance did so, because you were pleased with them.

4 God, you are my King. Command victories for Jacob!

You yourself are my king and my God, who commands the salvation of Jacob.

5 Through you, we will push down our adversaries. Through your name, we will tread down those who rise up against us.

With you, we will brandish a horn before our enemies; and in your name, we will spurn those rising up against us.

6 For I will not trust in my bow, neither will my sword save me.

For I will not hope in my bow, and my sword will not save me.

7 But you have saved us from our adversaries, and have shamed those who hate us.

For you have saved us from those who afflict us, and you have bewildered those who hate us.

8 In God we have made our boast all day long. We will give thanks to your name forever. (Selah)

In God, we will give praise all day long; and in your name, we will confess forever.

9 But now you rejected us, and brought us to dishonor, and don’t go out with our armies.

But now, you have rejected and bewildered us, and you will not go forth with our armies, O God.

10 You make us turn back from the adversary. Those who hate us take plunder for themselves.

You have turned our back to our enemies, and those who hated us have plundered for themselves.

11 You have made us like sheep for food, and have scattered us among the nations.

You have given us over like sheep for food. You have scattered us among the Gentiles.

12 You sell your people for nothing, and have gained nothing from their sale.

You have sold your people without a price, and no great number was exchanged for them.

13 You make us a reproach to our neighbors, a scoffing and a derision to those who are around us.

You have set us as a disgrace to our neighbors, a scoff and a derision to those who are around us.

14 You make us a byword among the nations, a shaking of the head among the peoples.

You have set us as a parable among the Gentiles, a shaking of the head among the peoples.

15 All day long my dishonor is before me, and shame covers my face,

All day long my shame is before me, and the confusion of my face has covered me,

16 at the taunt of one who reproaches and verbally abuses, because of the enemy and the avenger.

before the voice of the reproacher and the commentator, before the face of the adversary and the pursuer.

17 All this has come on us, yet we haven’t forgotten you. We haven’t been false to your covenant.

All these things have come upon us, yet we have not forgotten you, and we have not acted unjustly in your covenant.

18 Our heart has not turned back, neither have our steps strayed from your path,

And our heart has not turned back. And you have not diverted our steps from your way.

19 though you have crushed us in the haunt of jackals, and covered us with the shadow of death.

For you humbled us in a place of affliction, and the shadow of death has covered us.

20 If we have forgotten the name of our God, or spread out our hands to a strange god,

If we have forgotten the name of our God, and if we have extended our hands to a foreign god,

21 won’t God search this out? For he knows the secrets of the heart.

will not God find this out? For he knows the secrets of the heart.

22 Yes, for your sake we are killed all day long. We are regarded as sheep for the slaughter.

For, because of you, we are being killed all day long. We are considered as sheep for the slaughter.

23 Wake up! Why do you sleep, Lord? Arise! Don’t reject us forever.

Rise up. Why do you fall asleep, O Lord? Rise up, and do not reject us in the end.

24 Why do you hide your face, and forget our affliction and our oppression?

Why do you turn your face away, and why do you forget our needfulness and our tribulation?

25 For our soul is bowed down to the dust. Our body clings to the earth.

For our soul has been humbled into the dust. Our belly has been bound to the earth.

26 Rise up to help us. Redeem us for your loving kindness’ sake.

Rise up, O Lord. Help us and redeem us, because of your name.