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.
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 indeed drive out nations, and plant them; thou didst ill-treat people, and cause them to spread out.
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 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.
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 favourable to them.
4 Thou art my King, O God: ordain salvation for Jacob.
God, you are my King. Command victories for Jacob!
5 Through thee will we butt down our assailants: through thy name will we tread under foot our opponents.
Through you, we will push down our adversaries. Through your name, we will tread down those who rise up against us.
6 For not in my bow will I trust, and my sword shall not help me.
For I will not trust in my bow, neither will my sword save me.
7 But thou helpest us against our assailants, and those that hate us thou puttest to shame.
But you have saved us from our adversaries, and have shamed those who hate us.
8 Of God we boast all the day, and to thy name will we give thanks for ever. (Selah)
In God we have made our boast all day long. We will give thanks to your name forever. (Selah)
9 But [now] thou hast cast off, and put us to the blush, and goest not forth with our armies.
But now you rejected us, and brought us to dishonour, and don’t go out with our armies.
10 Thou causest us to turn back from before our assailant: and they who hate us take spoil for themselves.
You make us turn back from the adversary. Those who hate us take plunder for themselves.
11 Thou givest us up like sheep for food, and among the nations hast thou dispersed us.
You have made us like sheep for food, and have scattered us amongst the nations.
12 Thou sellest thy people for no value, and acquirest no gain by their price.
You sell your people for nothing, and have gained nothing from their sale.
13 Thou renderest us a reproach to our neighbors, a scorn and a derision to those that are round about us.
You make us a reproach to our neighbours, a scoffing and a derision to those who are around us.
14 Thou renderest us a by-word among the nations, a shaking of the head among the people.
You make us a byword amongst the nations, a shaking of the head amongst the peoples.
15 All the day is my disgrace before me, and the shame of my face covereth me;
All day long my dishonour is before me, and shame covers my face,
16 Because of the voice of him that reproacheth and blasphemeth; by reason of the enemy and him that seeketh vengeance.
at the taunt of one who reproaches and verbally abuses, because of the enemy and the avenger.
17 All this is come over us, yet have we not forgotten thee; nor have we dealt falsely by 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 moved backward, nor hath our step turned aside from thy path:
Our heart has not turned back, neither have our steps strayed from your path,
19 Even when thou didst crush us in the abode of monsters, and cover 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 out this? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart.
won’t God search this out? For he knows the secrets of the heart.
22 But for thy sake are we slain all the day; we are counted as flocks [destined] for slaughter.
Yes, for your sake we are killed all day long. We are regarded as sheep for the slaughter.
23 Awake, wherefore wilt thou sleep, O Lord? arise, abandon us not for ever.
Wake up! Why do you sleep, Lord? Arise! Don’t reject us forever.
24 Wherefore wilt thou hide thy face, wilt thou forget our misery, 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 body cleaveth unto the earth.
For our soul is bowed down to the dust. Our body clings to the earth.
26 Arise unto our help, and redeem us for the sake of thy kindness.
Rise up to help us. Redeem us for your loving kindness’ sake.
