Psalms 44

1 For the Chief Musician; [a Psalm] of 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 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 didst drive out the nations with thy hand, and plantedst them in; thou didst afflict the peoples, and didst spread them abroad.

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

3 For they gat 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.

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

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

You are my King, my God, who commands 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 back our adversaries. Through your name we will trample down those who rise up against us.

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

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

7 But 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 have we made our boast all the day long, and we will give thanks unto 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 now thou hast cast [us] off, and brought us to dishonour; and goest not forth with our hosts.

But now you rejected us, and brought us to dishonor, and do not go out with our armies.

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

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

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

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

12 Thou sellest 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 scorn and a derision to them that are round about us.

You make us the taunt of our neighbors, 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 among the nations, a shaking of the head among the peoples.

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

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

16 For 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 in thy covenant.

All this has come on us, yet have we not forgotten you, Neither have we been false to your covenant.

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

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

19 That thou hast sore broken 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 have forgotten the name of our God, or spread forth our hands to a strange god;

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

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

For your sake we are killed all day long. We are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.

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

Wake up. Why do you sleep, LORD? Arise. Do not 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 cleaves to the earth.

26 Rise up for our help, and redeem us for thy lovingkindness’ sake.

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