< Psalms 44 >
1 TO THE OVERSEER. AN INSTRUCTION OF THE SONS OF KORAH. O God, we have heard with our ears, Our fathers have recounted to us, The work You worked in their days, In the days of old.
To the chief music-maker. Of the sons of Korah Maschil. It has come to our ears, O God, our fathers have given us the story, of the works which you did in their days, in the old times,
2 You, [with] Your hand, have dispossessed nations. And You plant them. You afflict peoples, and send them away.
Uprooting the nations with your hand, and planting our fathers in their place; cutting down the nations, but increasing the growth of your people.
3 For they did not possess the land by their sword, And their arm did not give salvation to them, But Your right hand, and Your arm, And the light of Your countenance, Because You had accepted them.
For they did not make the land theirs by their swords, and it was not their arms which kept them safe; but your right hand, and your arm, and the light of your face, because you had pleasure in them.
4 You [are] He, my King, O God, Command the deliverances of Jacob.
You are my King and my God; ordering salvation for Jacob.
5 By You we push our adversaries, By Your Name we tread down our withstanders,
Through you will we overcome our haters; by your name will they be crushed under our feet who are violent against us.
6 For I do not trust in my bow, And my sword does not save me.
I will not put faith in my bow, my sword will not be my salvation.
7 For You have saved us from our adversaries, And You have put to shame those hating us.
But it is you who have been our saviour from those who were against us, and have put to shame those who had hate for us.
8 In God we have boasted all the day, And we thank Your Name for all time. (Selah)
Our pride is in God at all times, to his name we give praise for ever. (Selah)
9 In anger You have cast off and cause us to blush, And do not go forth with our hosts.
But now you have sent us away from you, and put us to shame; you do not go out with our armies.
10 You cause us to turn backward from an adversary, And those hating us, Have spoiled for themselves.
Because of this we are turned back by the attacker: those who have hate for us take our goods for themselves.
11 You make us food like sheep, And You have scattered us among nations.
You have made us like sheep which are taken for meat; we are put to flight among the nations.
12 You sell Your people—without wealth, And have not become great by their price.
You let your people go for nothing; your wealth is not increased by their price.
13 You make us a reproach to our neighbors, A scorn and a reproach to our surrounders.
You have made us to be looked down on by our neighbours, we are laughed at and shamed by those who are round about us.
14 You make us an allegory among nations, A shaking of the head among peoples.
Our name is a word of shame among the nations, a sign for the shaking of heads among the peoples.
15 All the day my confusion [is] before me, And the shame of my face has covered me.
My downfall is ever before me, and I am covered with the shame of my face;
16 Because of the voice of a reproacher and reviler, Because of an enemy and a self-avenger.
Because of the voice of him who says sharp and bitter words; because of the hater and him who is the instrument of punishment.
17 All this met us, and we did not forget You, Nor have we dealt falsely in Your covenant.
All this has come on us, but still we have kept you in our memory; and we have not been false to your word.
18 We do not turn our heart backward, Nor turn aside our step from Your path.
Our hearts have not gone back, and our steps have not been turned out of your way;
19 But You have struck us in a place of dragons, And cover us over with death-shade.
Though you have let us be crushed in the place of jackals, though we are covered with darkest shade.
20 If we have forgotten the Name of our God, And spread our hands to a strange God,
If the name of our God has gone out of our minds, or if our hands have been stretched out to a strange god,
21 Does God not search this out? For He knows the secrets of the heart.
Will not God make search for it? for he sees the secrets of the heart.
22 Surely, for Your sake we have been slain all the day, Reckoned as sheep of the slaughter.
Truly, because of you we are put to death every day; we are numbered like sheep for destruction.
23 Stir up—why do You sleep, O Lord? Awake, do not cast us off forever.
Why are you sleeping, O Lord? awake! and come to our help, do not give us up for ever.
24 Why do You hide Your face? You forget our afflictions and our oppression,
Why is your face covered, and why do you give no thought to our trouble and our cruel fate?
25 For our soul has bowed to the dust, Our belly has cleaved to the earth.
For our souls are crushed down to the dust: our bodies are stretched out on the earth.
26 Arise, a help to us, And ransom us for your kindness’ sake.
Up! and come to our help, and give us salvation because of your mercy.