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.
We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, what work thou didst in their days, in the times 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.
How thou didst drive out the heathen with thy hand, and plantedst them; how thou didst afflict the people, 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 got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them: but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour unto them.
4 God, you are my King; command victories for Jacob!
Thou art my King, O God: command deliverances for Jacob.
5 Only through you can we repel our enemies; only in your name can we defeat our opponents.
Through thee will we push down our enemies: through thy name will 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 will not trust in my bow, neither shall 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 enemies, and hast put them to shame that hated us.
8 God, we proudly thank you all day long, and praise your name forever. (Selah)
In God we boast all the day long, and praise thy name for ever. (Selah)
9 But now you have rejected and disgraced us; you no longer accompany our armies.
But thou hast cast off, and put us to shame; and goest not forth with our armies.
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 enemy: and they which hate us spoil for themselves.
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 appointed for meat; and hast scattered us among the heathen.
12 You have sold your own people for next to nothing, making no profit on the sale.
Thou sellest thy people for nought, and dost not increase thy wealth by their price.
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 reproach 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 heathen, a shaking of the head among the people.
15 We are humiliated all day long; we hold our heads in shame,
My confusion is continually 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 reproacheth and blasphemeth; by reason 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 this is come upon us; yet have we not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falsely in 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 way;
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 sore broken us in the place of dragons, and covered us with the shadow of death.
20 If we had forgotten the name of our God, or worshiped other gods,
If we have forgotten the name of our God, or stretched out our hands to a strange god;
21 wouldn't God have been aware of this, because he knows everyone's thoughts?
Shall 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.
Yea, for thy sake are we killed all the day long; we are counted 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? arise, cast us 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 mercies’ sake.
