< Psalms 44 >
1 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.
For the Chief Musician. By the sons of Korah. A contemplative psalm. We have heard with our ears, God; our fathers have told us what work you did in their days, in the days of old.
2 Thou with Thy hand didst drive out the nations, and didst plant them in; Thou didst break the peoples, and didst spread them abroad.
You drove out the nations with your hand, but you planted them. You afflicted the peoples, but you spread them abroad.
3 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.
For they didn’t get the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them; but your right hand, your arm, and the light of your face, because you were favorable to them.
4 Thou art my King, O God; command the salvation of Jacob.
God, you are my King. Command victories for Jacob!
5 Through Thee do we push down our adversaries; through Thy name do we tread them under that rise up against us.
Through you, we will push down our adversaries. Through your name, we will tread down those who rise up against us.
6 For I trust not in my bow, neither can my sword save me.
For I will not trust in my bow, neither will my sword save me.
7 But Thou hast saved us from our adversaries, and hast put them to shame that hate us.
But you have saved us from our adversaries, and have shamed those who hate us.
8 In God have we gloried all the day, and we will give thanks unto Thy name for ever. (Selah)
In God we have made our boast all day long. We will give thanks to your name forever. (Selah)
9 Yet Thou hast cast off, and brought us to confusion; and goest not forth with our hosts.
But now you rejected us, and brought us to dishonor, and don’t go out with our armies.
10 Thou makest us to turn back from the adversary; and they that hate us spoil at their will.
You make us turn back from the adversary. Those who hate us take plunder for themselves.
11 Thou hast given us like sheep to be eaten; and hast scattered us among the nations.
You have made us like sheep for food, and have scattered us among the nations.
12 Thou sellest Thy people for small gain, and hast not set their prices high.
You sell your people for nothing, and have gained nothing from their sale.
13 Thou makest us a taunt to our neighbours, a scorn and a derision to them that are round about us.
You make us a reproach to our neighbors, a scoffing and a derision to those who are around us.
14 Thou makest us a byword among the nations, a shaking of the head among the peoples.
You make us a byword among the nations, a shaking of the head among the peoples.
15 All the day is my confusion before me, and the shame of my face hath covered me,
All day long my dishonor is before me, and shame covers my face,
16 For the voice of him that taunteth and blasphemeth; by reason of the enemy and the revengeful.
at the taunt of one who reproaches and verbally abuses, because of the enemy and the avenger.
17 All this is come upon us; yet have we not forgotten Thee, neither have we been false to Thy covenant.
All this has come on us, yet we haven’t forgotten you. We haven’t been false to your covenant.
18 Our heart is not turned back, neither have our steps declined from Thy path;
Our heart has not turned back, neither have our steps strayed from your path,
19 Though Thou hast crushed us into a place of jackals, and covered us with the shadow of death.
though you have crushed us in the haunt of jackals, and covered us with the shadow of death.
20 If we had forgotten the name of our God, or spread forth our hands to a strange god;
If we have forgotten the name of our God, or spread out our hands to a strange god,
21 Would not God search this out? For He knoweth the secrets of the heart.
won’t God search this out? For he knows the secrets of the heart.
22 Nay, but for Thy sake are we killed all the day; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
Yes, for your sake we are killed all day long. We are regarded as sheep for the slaughter.
23 Awake, why sleepest Thou, O Lord? Arouse Thyself, cast not off for ever.
Wake up! Why do you sleep, Lord? Arise! Don’t reject us forever.
24 Wherefore hidest Thou Thy face, and forgettest our affliction and our oppression?
Why do you hide your face, and forget our affliction and our oppression?
25 For our soul is bowed down to the dust; our belly cleaveth unto the earth.
For our soul is bowed down to the dust. Our body clings to the earth.
26 Arise for our help, and redeem us for Thy mercy's sake.
Rise up to help us. Redeem us for your loving kindness’ sake.