Psalms 44
1 To the chief music-maker. Of the sons of Korah Maschil. It has come to our ears, O God, our fathers have given us the story, of the works which you did in their days, in the old times,
We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, what work you did in their days, in the times of old.
2 Uprooting the nations with your hand, and planting our fathers in their place; cutting down the nations, but increasing the growth of your people.
How you did drive out the heathen with your hand, and planted them; how you did afflict the people, and cast them out.
3 For they did not make the land theirs by their swords, and it was not their arms which kept them safe; but your right hand, and your arm, and the light of your face, because you had pleasure in them.
For they got not 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 countenance, because you had a favor to them.
4 You are my King and my God; ordering salvation for Jacob.
You are my King, O God: command deliverances for Jacob.
5 Through you will we overcome our haters; by your name will they be crushed under our feet who are violent against us.
Through you will we push down our enemies: through your name will we tread them under that rise up against us.
6 I will not put faith in my bow, my sword will not be my salvation.
For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me.
7 But it is you who have been our saviour from those who were against us, and have put to shame those who had hate for us.
But you have saved us from our enemies, and have put them to shame that hated us.
8 Our pride is in God at all times, to his name we give praise for ever. (Selah)
In God we boast all the day long, and praise your name for ever. (Selah)
9 But now you have sent us away from you, and put us to shame; you do not go out with our armies.
But you have cast off, and put us to shame; and go not forth with our armies.
10 Because of this we are turned back by the attacker: those who have hate for us take our goods for themselves.
You make us to turn back from the enemy: and they which hate us spoil for themselves.
11 You have made us like sheep which are taken for meat; we are put to flight among the nations.
You have given us like sheep appointed for meat; and have scattered us among the heathen.
12 You let your people go for nothing; your wealth is not increased by their price.
You sell your people for nothing, and do not increase your wealth by their price.
13 You have made us to be looked down on by our neighbours, we are laughed at and shamed by those who are round about us.
You make us a reproach to our neighbors, a scorn and a derision to them that are round about us.
14 Our name is a word of shame among the nations, a sign for the shaking of heads among the peoples.
You make us a byword among the heathen, a shaking of the head among the people.
15 My downfall is ever before me, and I am covered with the shame of my face;
My confusion is continually before me, and the shame of my face has covered me,
16 Because of the voice of him who says sharp and bitter words; because of the hater and him who is the instrument of punishment.
For the voice of him that reproaches and blasphemes; by reason of the enemy and avenger.
17 All this has come on us, but still we have kept you in our memory; and we have not been false to your word.
All this is come on us; yet have we not forgotten you, neither have we dealt falsely in your covenant.
18 Our hearts have not gone back, and our steps have not been turned out of your way;
Our heart is not turned back, neither have our steps declined from your way;
19 Though you have let us be crushed in the place of jackals, though we are covered with darkest shade.
Though you have sore broken us in the place of dragons, and covered us with the shadow of death.
20 If the name of our God has gone out of our minds, or if our hands have been stretched out to a strange god,
If we have forgotten the name of our God, or stretched out our hands to a strange god;
21 Will not God make search for it? for he sees the secrets of the heart.
Shall not God search this out? for he knows the secrets of the heart.
22 Truly, because of you we are put to death every day; we are numbered like sheep for destruction.
Yes, for your sake are we killed all the day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter.
23 Why are you sleeping, O Lord? awake! and come to our help, do not give us up for ever.
Awake, why sleep you, O Lord? arise, cast us not off for ever.
24 Why is your face covered, and why do you give no thought to our trouble and our cruel fate?
Why hide you your face, and forget our affliction and our oppression?
25 For our souls are crushed down to the dust: our bodies are stretched out on the earth.
For our soul is bowed down to the dust: our belly sticks to the earth.
26 Up! and come to our help, and give us salvation because of your mercy.
Arise for our help, and redeem us for your mercies’ sake.
