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For the Chief Musician. By the sons of Korah. A contemplative psalm.

44 We have heard with our ears, God;
    our fathers have told us what work you did in their days,
    in the days of old.
You drove out the nations with your hand,
    but you planted them.
You afflicted the peoples,
    but you spread them abroad.
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 favorable to them.
God, you are my King.
    Command victories for Jacob!
Through you, we will push down our adversaries.
    Through your name, we will tread down those who rise up against us.
For I will not trust in my bow,
    neither will my sword save me.
But you have saved us from our adversaries,
    and have shamed those who hate us.
In God we have made our boast all day long.
    We will give thanks to your name forever. Selah.

But now you rejected us, and brought us to dishonor,
    and don’t go out with our armies.
10 You make us turn back from the adversary.
    Those who hate us take plunder for themselves.
11 You have made us like sheep for food,
    and have scattered us among the nations.
12 You sell your people for nothing,
    and have gained nothing from their sale.
13 You make us a reproach to our neighbors,
    a scoffing and a derision to those who are around us.
14 You make us a byword among the nations,
    a shaking of the head among the peoples.
15 All day long my dishonor is before me,
    and shame covers my face,
16     at the taunt of one who reproaches and verbally abuses,
    because of the enemy and the avenger.
17 All this has come on us,
    yet we haven’t forgotten you.
    We haven’t been false to your covenant.
18 Our heart has not turned back,
    neither have our steps strayed from your path,
19     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 spread out our hands to a strange god,
21     won’t God search this out?
    For he knows the secrets of the heart.
22 Yes, for your sake we are killed all day long.
    We are regarded as sheep for the slaughter.
23 Wake up!
    Why do you sleep, Lord?[a]
Arise!
    Don’t reject us forever.
24 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 clings to the earth.
26 Rise up to help us.
    Redeem us for your loving kindness’ sake.

Footnotes

  1. 44:23 The word translated “Lord” is “Adonai.”

Psalm 44

To the Chief Musician. [A Psalm] of the sons of Korah. A skillful song, or a didactic or reflective poem.

We have heard with our ears, O God; our fathers have told us [what] work You did in their days, in the days of old.

You drove out the nations with Your hand and it was Your power that gave [Israel] a home by rooting out the [heathen] peoples, but [Israel] You spread out.

For they got not the land [of Canaan] 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 countenance [did it], because You were favorable toward and did delight in them.

You are my King, O God; command victories and deliverance for Jacob (Israel).

Through You shall we push down our enemies; through Your name shall we tread them under who rise up against us.

For I will not trust in and lean on my bow, neither shall my sword save me.

But You have saved us from our foes and have put them to shame who hate us.

In God we have made our boast all the day long, and we will give thanks to Your name forever. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!

But now You have cast us off and brought us to dishonor, and You go not out with our armies.

10 You make us to turn back from the enemy, and they who hate us take spoil for themselves.

11 You have made us like sheep intended for mutton and have scattered us in exile among the nations.

12 You sell Your people for nothing, and have not increased Your wealth by their price.

13 You have made us the taunt of our neighbors, a scoffing and a derision to those who are round about us.

14 You make us a byword among the nations, a shaking of the heads among the people.

15 My dishonor is before me all day long, and shame has covered my face

16 At the words of the taunter and reviler, by reason of the enemy and the revengeful.

17 All this is come upon us, yet have we not forgotten You, neither have we been false to Your covenant [which You made with our fathers].

18 Our hearts are not turned back, neither have our steps declined from Your path,

19 Though You have distressingly broken us in the place of jackals and covered us with deep darkness, even with the shadow of death.

20 If we had forgotten the name of our God or stretched out our hands to a strange god,

21 Would not God discover this? For He knows the secrets of the heart.

22 No, but for Your sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.(A)

23 Awake! Why do You sleep, O Lord? Arouse Yourself, cast us not off forever!

24 Why do You hide Your face and forget our affliction and our oppression?

25 For our lives are bowed down to the dust; our bodies cleave to the ground.

26 Rise up! Come to our help, and deliver us for Your mercy’s sake and because of Your steadfast love!