< 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 Leader; a Psalm of the sons of Korah. Maschil. O God, we have heard with our ears, our fathers have told us; a work Thou didst 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.
Thou with Thy hand didst drive out the nations, and didst plant them in; Thou didst break the peoples, and didst spread them abroad.
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 not by their own sword did they get the land in possession, neither did their own arm save them; but Thy right hand, and Thine arm, and the light of Thy countenance, because Thou wast favourable unto them.
4 God, you are my King; command victories for Jacob!
Thou art my King, O God; command the salvation of Jacob.
5 Only through you can we repel our enemies; only in your name can we defeat our opponents.
Through Thee do we push down our adversaries; through Thy name do we tread them under 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 trust not in my bow, neither can my sword save me.
7 You are the one who saves us from our enemies; you defeat those who hate us.
But Thou hast saved us from our adversaries, and hast put them to shame that hate us.
8 God, we proudly thank you all day long, and praise your name forever. (Selah)
In God have we gloried all the day, and we will give thanks unto Thy name for ever. (Selah)
9 But now you have rejected and disgraced us; you no longer accompany our armies.
Yet Thou hast cast off, and brought us to confusion; and goest not forth with our hosts.
10 You made us run from our enemies, and those who hate us have taken whatever they wanted.
Thou makest us to turn back from the adversary; and they that hate us spoil at their will.
11 You have handed us over like sheep to be slaughtered; you have scattered us among the other nations.
Thou hast given us like sheep to be eaten; and hast scattered us among the nations.
12 You have sold your own people for next to nothing, making no profit on the sale.
Thou sellest Thy people for small gain, and hast not set their prices high.
13 You have made a mockery of us before our neighbors, we are ridiculed and laughed at by those around us.
Thou makest us a taunt to our neighbours, a scorn and a derision to them that are round about us.
14 You have made us a joke to the other nations; they scornfully shake their heads at us.
Thou makest us a byword among the nations, a shaking of the head among the peoples.
15 We are humiliated all day long; we hold our heads in shame,
All the day is my confusion before me, and the shame of my face hath covered me,
16 because of all the insults from the people mocking us, because our vengeful enemies are right in front of us.
For the voice of him that taunteth and blasphemeth; by reason of the enemy and the revengeful.
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 this is come upon us; yet have we not forgotten Thee, neither have we been false to Thy covenant.
18 We have not turned away from you, not in thought, nor in action.
Our heart is not turned back, neither have our steps declined from Thy path;
19 Even so, you crushed us, and made us into a jackal's den. You have covered us with the darkness of death.
Though Thou hast crushed us into a place of jackals, and covered us with the shadow of death.
20 If we had forgotten the name of our God, or worshiped other gods,
If we had forgotten the name of our God, or spread forth our hands to a strange god;
21 wouldn't God have been aware of this, because he knows everyone's thoughts?
Would not God search this out? For He knoweth the secrets of the heart.
22 But because of you we are killed all day long; we're considered just sheep to be slaughtered.
Nay, but for Thy sake are we killed all the day; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
23 Lord, wake up! Why are you sleeping? Get up! Don't turn your back on us forever!
Awake, why sleepest Thou, O Lord? Arouse Thyself, cast not off for ever.
24 Why do you look away from us and take no notice of our suffering and misery?
Wherefore hidest Thou Thy face, and forgettest our affliction and our oppression?
25 We lie ruined in the dust, our bodies face down in the dirt.
For our soul is bowed down to the dust; our belly cleaveth unto the earth.
26 Stand up! Come and help us! Save us because of your trustworthy love!
Arise for our help, and redeem us for Thy mercy's sake.