Psalms 44
1 [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.
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.
2 You drove out the nations with your hand, but you planted them. You afflicted the peoples, but you spread them abroad.
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.
3 For they did not get the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them; but your right hand, and your arm, and the light of your face, because you were favorable to them.
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.
4 You are my King, my God, who commands victories for Jacob.
God, you are my King; command victories for Jacob!
5 Through you we will push back our adversaries. Through your name we will trample down those who rise up against us.
Only through you can we repel our enemies; only in your name can we defeat our opponents.
6 For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me.
I do not trust my bow; I do not have confidence in my sword to save me.
7 But you have saved us from our adversaries, and have shamed those who hate us.
You are the one who saves us from our enemies; you defeat those who hate us.
8 In God we have made our boast all day long, we will give thanks to your name forever. (Selah)
God, we proudly thank you all day long, and praise your name forever. (Selah)
9 But now you rejected us, and brought us to dishonor, and do not go out with our armies.
But now you have rejected and disgraced us; you no longer accompany our armies.
10 You make us turn back from the adversary. Those who hate us take spoil for themselves.
You made us run from our enemies, and those who hate us have taken whatever they wanted.
11 You have made us like sheep for food, and have scattered us among the nations.
You have handed us over like sheep to be slaughtered; you have scattered us among the other nations.
12 You sell your people for nothing, and have gained nothing from their sale.
You have sold your own people for next to nothing, making no profit on the sale.
13 You make us the taunt of our neighbors, a scoffing and a derision to those who are around us.
You have made a mockery of us before our neighbors, we are ridiculed and laughed at by those around us.
14 You make us a byword among the nations, a shaking of the head among the peoples.
You have made us a joke to the other nations; they scornfully shake their heads at us.
15 All day long my dishonor is before me, and shame covers my face,
We are humiliated all day long; we hold our heads in shame,
16 At the taunt of one who reproaches and verbally abuses, because of the enemy and the avenger.
because of all the insults from the people mocking us, because our vengeful enemies are right in front of us.
17 All this has come on us, yet have we not forgotten you, Neither have we been false to your covenant.
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.
18 Our heart has not turned back, neither have our steps strayed from your path,
We have not turned away from you, not in thought, nor in action.
19 Though you have crushed us in the haunt of jackals, and covered us with the shadow of death.
Even so, you crushed us, and made us into a jackal's den. You have covered us with the darkness of death.
20 If we have forgotten the name of our God, or spread forth our hands to a strange god;
If we had forgotten the name of our God, or worshiped other gods,
21 won't God search this out? For he knows the secrets of the heart.
wouldn't God have been aware of this, because he knows everyone's thoughts?
22 For your sake we are killed all day long. We are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.
But because of you we are killed all day long; we're considered just sheep to be slaughtered.
23 Wake up. Why do you sleep, LORD? Arise. Do not reject us forever.
Lord, wake up! Why are you sleeping? Get up! Don't turn your back on us forever!
24 Why do you hide your face, and forget our affliction and our oppression?
Why do you look away from us and take no notice of our suffering and misery?
25 For our soul is bowed down to the dust. Our body cleaves to the earth.
We lie ruined in the dust, our bodies face down in the dirt.
26 Rise up to help us. Redeem us for your loving kindness' sake.
Stand up! Come and help us! Save us because of your trustworthy love!
