Psalms 44
1 To the chief Musician for the sons of Korah, Maschil. We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, what work thou didst in their days, in the 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 How thou didst drive out the heathen with thy hand, and didst plant them; how thou didst afflict the people, and cast them out.
You drove out the nations with your hand, but you planted them. You afflicted the peoples, but you spread them abroad.
3 For they obtained not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them: but thy right hand, and thy arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour to 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 favourable to them.
4 Thou art my King, O God: command deliverances for Jacob.
God, you are my King. Command victories for Jacob!
5 Through thee will we push down our enemies: through thy name we will 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 will not trust in my bow, neither shall 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 enemies, and hast put them to shame that hated us.
But you have saved us from our adversaries, and have shamed those who hate us.
8 In God we boast all the day long, and praise 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 But thou hast cast off, and put us to shame; 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 makest us to turn back from the enemy: and they who hate us have taken spoil for themselves.
You make us turn back from the adversary. Those who hate us take plunder for themselves.
11 Thou hast given us like sheep appointed for food; and hast scattered us among the heathen.
You have made us like sheep for food, and have scattered us amongst the nations.
12 Thou sellest thy people for nothing, and dost not increase thy wealth by their price.
You sell your people for nothing, and have gained nothing from their sale.
13 Thou makest us a reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and a derision to them that are around us.
You make us a reproach to our neighbours, a scoffing and a derision to those who are around us.
14 Thou makest us a by word among the heathen, 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 My confusion is continually before me, and the shame of my face hath covered me,
All day long my dishonour is before me, and shame covers my face,
16 For the voice of him that reproacheth and blasphemeth; by reason of the enemy and avenger.
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 we have not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falsely in 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 way;
Our heart has not turned back, neither have our steps strayed from your path,
19 Though thou hast greatly broke us in the place of dragons, 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 have forgotten the name of our God, or stretched out 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 Shall 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 Yea, for thy sake are we killed all the day long; we are counted 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? arise, cast us not off for ever.
Wake up! Why do you sleep, Lord? Arise! Don’t reject us forever.
24 Why 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 to 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 mercies’ sake.
Rise up to help us. Redeem us for your loving kindness’ sake.
