Psalms 44

1 For the music director. A psalm (maskil) of the sons of Korah. God, we have heard with our own ears—our forefathers have told us—all you did in their times, long ago.

For the end, a Psalm for instruction, for the sons of Core. O God, we have heard with our ears, our fathers have told us, the work which you wrought in their days, in the days of old.

2 Through your power you drove out the other nations so you could settle our ancestors there; you defeated the nations and you sent our ancestors to occupy the land.

Your hand utterly destroyed the heathen, and you did plant them: you did afflict the nations, and cast them out.

3 They did not conquer the land using their swords; it was not through their own strength that the victory was won—it was by your strength, your power, and your presence with them, because you loved them.

For they inherited not the land by their [own] sword, and their [own] arm did not deliver them; but your right hand, and your arm, and the light of your countenance, because you were well pleased in them.

4 God, you are my King; command victories for Jacob!

You are indeed my King and my God, who command deliverances for Jacob.

5 Only through you can we repel our enemies; only in your name can we defeat our opponents.

In you will we push down our enemies, and in your name will we bring to nothing them that rise up against us.

6 I do not trust my bow; I do not have confidence in my sword to save me.

For I will not trust in my bow, and my sword shall not save me.

7 You are the one who saves us from our enemies; you defeat those who hate us.

For you have saved us from them that afflicted us, and have put to shame them that hated us.

8 God, we proudly thank you all day long, and praise your name forever. (Selah)

In God will we make our boast all the day, and to your name will we give thanks for ever. (Pause)

9 But now you have rejected and disgraced us; you no longer accompany our armies.

But now you have cast off, and put us to shame; and you will not go forth with our hosts.

10 You made us run from our enemies, and those who hate us have taken whatever they wanted.

You have turned us back before our enemies; and they that hated us spoiled for themselves.

11 You have handed us over like sheep to be slaughtered; you have scattered us among the other nations.

You made us as sheep for meat; and you scattered us amongst the nations.

12 You have sold your own people for next to nothing, making no profit on the sale.

You have sold your people without price, and there was no profit by their exchange.

13 You have made a mockery of us before our neighbors, we are ridiculed and laughed at by those around us.

You have made us a reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and derision them that are round about us.

14 You have made us a joke to the other nations; they scornfully shake their heads at us.

You have made us a proverb amongst the Gentiles, a shaking of the head amongst the nations.

15 We are humiliated all day long; we hold our heads in shame,

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

16 because of all the insults from the people mocking us, because our vengeful enemies are right in front of us.

because of the voice of the slanderer and reviler; because of the enemy and avenger.

17 All this has happened to us even though we didn't forget you; we haven't been unfaithful to the promises we made to you.

All these things are come upon us: but we have not forgotten you, neither have we dealt unrighteously in your covenant.

18 We have not turned away from you, not in thought, nor in action.

And our heart has not gone back; but you have turned aside our paths from your way.

19 Even so, you crushed us, and made us into a jackal's den. You have covered us with the darkness of death.

For you have laid us low in a place of affliction, and the shadow of death has covered us.

20 If we had forgotten the name of our God, or worshiped other gods,

If we have forgotten the name of our God, and if we have spread out our hands to a strange god; shall not God search these things out?

21 wouldn't God have been aware of this, because he knows everyone's thoughts?

for he knows the secrets of the heart.

22 But because of you we are killed all day long; we're considered just sheep to be slaughtered.

For, for your sake we are killed all the day long; we are counted as sheep for slaughter.

23 Lord, wake up! Why are you sleeping? Get up! Don't turn your back on us forever!

Awake, therefore sleep you, O Lord? arise, and do not cast [us] off for ever.

24 Why do you look away from us and take no notice of our suffering and misery?

Therefore turn you your face away, [and] forget our poverty and our affliction?

25 We lie ruined in the dust, our bodies face down in the dirt.

For our soul has been brought down to the dust; our belly has cleaved to the earth.

26 Stand up! Come and help us! Save us because of your trustworthy love!

Arise, O Lord, help us, and redeem us for your name's sake.