Psalms 44

1 To the chief Musician. Of the sons of Korah. An instruction. O God, with our ears have we heard, our fathers have told us, the work thou wroughtest in their days, in the days of old:

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.

2 Thou, by thy hand, didst dispossess the nations, but them thou didst plant; thou didst afflict the peoples, but them didst thou cause to spread out.

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

3 For not by their own sword did they take possession of the land, neither did their own arm save them; but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst delight in them.

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 favourable to them.

4 Thou thyself art my king, O God: command deliverance for Jacob.

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

5 Through thee will we push down our adversaries; through thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us.

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

6 For I will not put confidence in my bow, neither shall my sword save me.

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

7 For thou hast saved us from our adversaries, and hast put them to shame that hate us.

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

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

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

9 But thou hast cast off, and put us to confusion, and dost not go forth with our armies;

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

10 Thou hast made us to turn back from the adversary, and they that hate us spoil for themselves;

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

11 Thou hast given us over like sheep [appointed] for meat, and hast scattered us among the nations;

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

12 Thou hast sold thy people for nought, and hast not increased [thy wealth] by their price;

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

13 Thou makest us a reproach to our neighbours, a mockery and a derision for them that are round about us;

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

14 Thou makest us a byword among the nations, a shaking of the head among the peoples.

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

15 All the day my confusion is before me, and the shame of my face hath covered me,

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

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

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

17 All this is come upon us; yet have we not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falsely against thy covenant:

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

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

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

19 Though thou hast crushed us in the place of jackals, and covered us with the shadow of death.

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

20 If we had forgotten the name of our God, and stretched out our hands to a strange god,

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

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

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

22 But for thy sake are we killed all the day long; we are reckoned as sheep for slaughter.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

26 Rise up for our help, and redeem us for thy loving-kindness' sake.

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