Psalms 44

1 Unto the end. To the sons of Korah, toward understanding. We have heard, O God, with our own ears. Our fathers have announced to us the work that you wrought in their days and in the days of antiquity.

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,

2 Your hand dispersed the Gentiles, and you transplanted them. You afflicted a people, and you expelled them.

Uprooting the nations with your hand, and planting our fathers in their place; cutting down the nations, but increasing the growth of your people.

3 For they did not take possession of the land by their sword, and their own arm did not save them. But your right hand and your arm, and the light of your countenance did so, because you were pleased with them.

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.

4 You yourself are my king and my God, who commands the salvation of Jacob.

You are my King and my God; ordering salvation for Jacob.

5 With you, we will brandish a horn before our enemies; and in your name, we will spurn those rising up against us.

Through you will we overcome our haters; by your name will they be crushed under our feet who are violent against us.

6 For I will not hope in my bow, and my sword will not save me.

I will not put faith in my bow, my sword will not be my salvation.

7 For you have saved us from those who afflict us, and you have bewildered those who hate us.

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.

8 In God, we will give praise all day long; and in your name, we will confess forever.

Our pride is in God at all times, to his name we give praise for ever. (Selah)

9 But now, you have rejected and bewildered us, and you will not go forth with our armies, O God.

But now you have sent us away from you, and put us to shame; you do not go out with our armies.

10 You have turned our back to our enemies, and those who hated us have plundered for themselves.

Because of this we are turned back by the attacker: those who have hate for us take our goods for themselves.

11 You have given us over like sheep for food. You have scattered us among the Gentiles.

You have made us like sheep which are taken for meat; we are put to flight among the nations.

12 You have sold your people without a price, and no great number was exchanged for them.

You let your people go for nothing; your wealth is not increased by their price.

13 You have set us as a disgrace to our neighbors, a scoff and a derision to those who are around us.

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.

14 You have set us as a parable among the Gentiles, a shaking of the head among the peoples.

Our name is a word of shame among the nations, a sign for the shaking of heads among the peoples.

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

My downfall is ever before me, and I am covered with the shame of my face;

16 before the voice of the reproacher and the commentator, before the face of the adversary and the pursuer.

Because of the voice of him who says sharp and bitter words; because of the hater and him who is the instrument of punishment.

17 All these things have come upon us, yet we have not forgotten you, and we have not acted unjustly in your covenant.

All this has come on us, but still we have kept you in our memory; and we have not been false to your word.

18 And our heart has not turned back. And you have not diverted our steps from your way.

Our hearts have not gone back, and our steps have not been turned out of your way;

19 For you humbled us in a place of affliction, and the shadow of death has covered us.

Though you have let us be crushed in the place of jackals, though we are covered with darkest shade.

20 If we have forgotten the name of our God, and if we have extended our hands to a foreign god,

If the name of our God has gone out of our minds, or if our hands have been stretched out to a strange god,

21 will not God find this out? For he knows the secrets of the heart.

Will not God make search for it? for he sees the secrets of the heart.

22 For, because of you, we are being killed all day long. We are considered as sheep for the slaughter.

Truly, because of you we are put to death every day; we are numbered like sheep for destruction.

23 Rise up. Why do you fall asleep, O Lord? Rise up, and do not reject us in the end.

Why are you sleeping, O Lord? awake! and come to our help, do not give us up for ever.

24 Why do you turn your face away, and why do you forget our needfulness and our tribulation?

Why is your face covered, and why do you give no thought to our trouble and our cruel fate?

25 For our soul has been humbled into the dust. Our belly has been bound to the earth.

For our souls are crushed down to the dust: our bodies are stretched out on the earth.

26 Rise up, O Lord. Help us and redeem us, because of your name.

Up! and come to our help, and give us salvation because of your mercy.