Psalms 44

1 To him that excelleth. A Psalme to give instruction, committed to the sonnes of Korah. We haue heard with our eares, O God: our fathers haue tolde vs the workes, that thou hast done in their dayes, in the olde time:

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 Howe thou hast driuen out the heathen with thine hand, and planted them: how thou hast destroyed the people, and caused them to grow.

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

3 For they inherited not the lande by their owne sworde, neither did their owne arme saue them: but thy right hand, and thine arme and the light of thy countenance, because thou didest fauour 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 art my King, O God: send helpe vnto Iaakob.

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

5 Through thee haue we thrust backe our aduersaries: by thy Name haue we troden downe them that rose vp against vs.

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

6 For I do not trust in my bowe, neither can my sworde saue me.

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

7 But thou hast saued vs from our aduersaries, and hast put them to confusion that hate vs.

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

8 Therefore will wee praise God continually, and will confesse thy Name for euer. (Selah)

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

9 But now thou art farre off, and puttest vs to confusion, and goest not forth with our armies.

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

10 Thou makest vs to turne backe from the aduersary, and they, which hate vs, spoile for theselues.

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

11 Thou giuest vs as sheepe to bee eaten, and doest scatter vs among the nations.

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

12 Thou sellest thy people without gaine, and doest not increase their price.

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

13 Thou makest vs a reproche to our neighbours, a iest and a laughing stocke to them that are round about vs.

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

14 Thou makest vs a prouerbe among the nations, and a nodding of the head among the people.

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

15 My confusion is dayly before me, and the shame of my face hath couered me,

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

16 For the voyce of the slaunderer and rebuker, for the enemie and auenger.

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

17 All this is come vpon vs, yet doe wee not forget thee, neither deale wee falsly concerning thy couenant.

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 backe: neither our steps gone out of thy paths,

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

19 Albeit thou hast smitten vs downe into the place of dragons, and couered vs 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 wee haue forgotten the Name of our God, and holden vp 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 Shall not God searche this out? for hee knoweth the secrets of the heart.

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

22 Surely for thy sake are we slaine continually, and are counted as sheepe for the slaughter.

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

23 Vp, why sleepest thou, O Lord? awake, be not farre off for euer.

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

24 Wherefore hidest thou thy face? and forgettest our miserie and our affliction?

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

25 For our soule is beaten downe vnto the dust: our belly cleaueth vnto the ground.

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

26 Rise vp for our succour, and redeeme vs for thy mercies sake.

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