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.

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.

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

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 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.

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

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

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

With you, we will brandish a horn before our enemies; and in your name, we will spurn those rising 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 hope in my bow, and my sword will 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 those who afflict us, and you have bewildered those who hate us.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

All day long 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.

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

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

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

And our heart has not turned back. And you have not diverted our steps 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 humbled us 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 extended our hands to a foreign god,

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

will not God find this out? 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, because of you, we are being killed all day long. We are considered as sheep for the slaughter.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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