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.

To the chief Musician for the sons of Korah, Maschil. We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, [what] work thou didst in their days, in the times of old.

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

[How] thou didst drive out the heathen with thy hand, and plantedst them; [how] thou didst afflict the people, and cast them out.

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 got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them: but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour unto them.

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

Thou art my King, O God: command deliverances for Jacob.

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

Through thee will we push down our enemies: through thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us.

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

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

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

But thou hast saved us from our enemies, and hast put them to shame that hated us.

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

In God we boast all the day long, and praise thy name for ever. (Selah)

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

But thou hast cast off, and put us to shame; and goest not forth with our armies.

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

Thou makest us to turn back from the enemy: and they which hate us spoil for themselves.

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

Thou hast given us like sheep [appointed] for meat; and hast scattered us among the heathen.

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

Thou sellest thy people for nought, and dost not increase [thy wealth] by their price.

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

Thou makest us a reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and a derision to them that are round about us.

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

Thou makest us a byword among the heathen, a shaking of the head among the people.

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

My confusion [is] continually before me, and the shame of my face hath covered me,

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

For the voice of him that reproacheth and blasphemeth; by reason of the enemy and avenger.

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

All this is come upon us; yet have we not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falsely in thy covenant.

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

Our heart is not turned back, neither have our steps declined from thy way;

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

Though thou hast sore broken us in the place of dragons, and covered us with the shadow of death.

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, or stretched out our hands to a strange god;

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

Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart.

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

Yea, for thy sake are we killed all the day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter.

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

Awake, why sleepest thou, O Lord? arise, cast [us] not off for ever.

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

Wherefore hidest thou thy face, [and] forgettest our affliction and our oppression?

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

For our soul is bowed down to the dust: our belly cleaveth unto the earth.

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

Arise for our help, and redeem us for thy mercies’ sake.