< Psalms 44 >
1 “To the chief musician, for the sons of Korach, a Maskil.” O God, with our ears have we heard, our fathers have told us, deeds which thou hadst done in their days, in times of old.
2 Thou, with thy hand, didst indeed drive out nations, and plant them; thou didst ill-treat people, and cause them to spread out.
3 For not by their sword did they obtain possession of the land, and their own arm brought them no victory; but thy right hand, and thy arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst given them thy favor.
4 Thou art my King, O God: ordain salvation for Jacob.
5 Through thee will we butt down our assailants: through thy name will we tread under foot our opponents.
6 For not in my bow will I trust, and my sword shall not help me.
7 But thou helpest us against our assailants, and those that hate us thou puttest to shame.
8 Of God we boast all the day, and to thy name will we give thanks for ever. (Selah)
9 But [now] thou hast cast off, and put us to the blush, and goest not forth with our armies.
10 Thou causest us to turn back from before our assailant: and they who hate us take spoil for themselves.
11 Thou givest us up like sheep for food, and among the nations hast thou dispersed us.
12 Thou sellest thy people for no value, and acquirest no gain by their price.
13 Thou renderest us a reproach to our neighbors, a scorn and a derision to those that are round about us.
14 Thou renderest us a by-word among the nations, a shaking of the head among the people.
15 All the day is my disgrace before me, and the shame of my face covereth me;
16 Because of the voice of him that reproacheth and blasphemeth; by reason of the enemy and him that seeketh vengeance.
17 All this is come over us, yet have we not forgotten thee; nor have we dealt falsely by thy covenant;
18 Our heart is not moved backward, nor hath our step turned aside from thy path:
19 Even when thou didst crush us in the abode of monsters, and cover 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:
21 Would not God search out this? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart.
22 But for thy sake are we slain all the day; we are counted as flocks [destined] for slaughter.
23 Awake, wherefore wilt thou sleep, O Lord? arise, abandon us not for ever.
24 Wherefore wilt thou hide thy face, wilt thou forget our misery, and our oppression?
25 For our soul is bowed down to the dust; our body cleaveth unto the earth.
26 Arise unto our help, and redeem us for the sake of thy kindness.
