Psalm 44[a]

For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A maskil.[b]

We have heard it with our ears,(A) O God;
    our ancestors have told us(B)
what you did in their days,
    in days long ago.(C)
With your hand you drove out(D) the nations
    and planted(E) our ancestors;
you crushed(F) the peoples
    and made our ancestors flourish.(G)
It was not by their sword(H) that they won the land,
    nor did their arm bring them victory;
it was your right hand,(I) your arm,(J)
    and the light(K) of your face, for you loved(L) them.

You are my King(M) and my God,(N)
    who decrees[c] victories(O) for Jacob.
Through you we push back(P) our enemies;
    through your name we trample(Q) our foes.
I put no trust in my bow,(R)
    my sword does not bring me victory;
but you give us victory(S) over our enemies,
    you put our adversaries to shame.(T)
In God we make our boast(U) all day long,(V)
    and we will praise your name forever.[d](W)

But now you have rejected(X) and humbled us;(Y)
    you no longer go out with our armies.(Z)
10 You made us retreat(AA) before the enemy,
    and our adversaries have plundered(AB) us.
11 You gave us up to be devoured like sheep(AC)
    and have scattered us among the nations.(AD)
12 You sold your people for a pittance,(AE)
    gaining nothing from their sale.

13 You have made us a reproach(AF) to our neighbors,(AG)
    the scorn(AH) and derision(AI) of those around us.
14 You have made us a byword(AJ) among the nations;
    the peoples shake their heads(AK) at us.
15 I live in disgrace(AL) all day long,
    and my face is covered with shame(AM)
16 at the taunts(AN) of those who reproach and revile(AO) me,
    because of the enemy, who is bent on revenge.(AP)

17 All this came upon us,
    though we had not forgotten(AQ) you;
    we had not been false to your covenant.
18 Our hearts had not turned(AR) back;
    our feet had not strayed from your path.
19 But you crushed(AS) us and made us a haunt for jackals;(AT)
    you covered us over with deep darkness.(AU)

20 If we had forgotten(AV) the name of our God
    or spread out our hands to a foreign god,(AW)
21 would not God have discovered it,
    since he knows the secrets of the heart?(AX)
22 Yet for your sake we face death all day long;
    we are considered as sheep(AY) to be slaughtered.(AZ)

23 Awake,(BA) Lord! Why do you sleep?(BB)
    Rouse yourself!(BC) Do not reject us forever.(BD)
24 Why do you hide your face(BE)
    and forget(BF) our misery and oppression?(BG)

25 We are brought down to the dust;(BH)
    our bodies cling to the ground.
26 Rise up(BI) and help us;
    rescue(BJ) us because of your unfailing love.(BK)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 44:1 In Hebrew texts 44:1-26 is numbered 44:2-27.
  2. Psalm 44:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
  3. Psalm 44:4 Septuagint, Aquila and Syriac; Hebrew King, O God; / command
  4. Psalm 44:8 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.

44 «Al maestro del coro. Poema dei figli di kore.» O DIO, abbiamo udito con le nostre orecchie i nostri padri ci hanno raccontato a l'opera che tu hai compiuta ai loro giorni, nei tempi antichi.

Tu per stabilirli con la tua mano hai spodestato le nazioni, hai sradicato dei popoli per far posto a loro.

Infatti non fu con la loro spada che conquistarono il paese, né fu il loro braccio che li salvò, ma fu la tua destra, il tuo braccio e la luce del tuo volto, perché li gradivi.

Sei tu il mio re, o DIO, che decidi le vittorie per Giacobbe.

Per mezzo di te abbatteremo i nostri nemici; nel tuo nome calpesteremo coloro che si levano contro di noi.

Poiché non confido nel mio arco, e non sarà la mia spada a salvarmi.

Ma sei tu che ci salvi dai nostri nemici e che copri di vergogna coloro che ci odiano.

Noi ci glorieremo in DIO ogni giorno, e celebreremo il tuo nome per sempre. (Sela)

Ma tu ci hai scacciati e ci hai coperti di vergogna, e non esci piú coi nostri eserciti

10 Tu ci hai fatto voltare le spalle davanti al nemico, e quelli che ci odiano ci hanno depredato.

11 Tu ci hai dati via come pecore da macello, e ci hai dispersi fra le nazioni.

12 Tu hai venduto il tuo popolo per niente, e non hai fatto alcun guadagno sulla loro vendita.

13 Tu ci hai resi la vergogna dei nostri vicini, la beffa e lo scherno di chi ci sta intorno.

14 Tu ci hai resi lo zimbello delle nazioni; nei nostri confronti i popoli scuotono il capo.

15 La mia infamia mi sta sempre davanti, e la mia faccia è coperta di vergogna,

16 a motivo di chi m'insulta ed oltraggia, a causa del nemico e di chi vuole vendetta.

17 Tutto questo ci è venuto addosso, ma noi non ti abbiamo dimenticato e non abbiamo tradito il tuo patto.

18 Il nostro cuore non si è rivolto indietro, e i nostri passi non si sono allontanati dalla tua via;

19 ma tu ci hai frantumati, cacciandoci in luoghi di sciacalli e ci hai coperto dell'ombra di morte.

20 Se noi avessimo dimenticato il nome del nostro DIO e avessimo teso le mani verso un dio straniero,

21 non l'avrebbe DIO scoperto? Egli infatti conosce i segreti del cuore.

22 Sí, per causa tua noi siamo messi a morte ogni giorno, e siamo considerati come pecore da macello.

23 Risvegliati! Perché dormi, o Signore? Destati, non respingerci per sempre.

24 Perché nascondi la tua faccia, e dimentichi la nostra afflizione e la nostra oppressione?

25 Poiché le nostre anime sono state abbassate fino nella polvere, e il nostro corpo è incollato a terra.

26 Levati in nostro aiuto e salvaci per amore della tua benignità.

44 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.

How thou didst drive out the heathen with thy hand, and plantedst them; how thou didst afflict the people, and cast them out.

For they got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them: but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour unto them.

Thou art my King, O God: command deliverances for Jacob.

Through thee will we push down our enemies: through thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us.

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

But thou hast saved us from our enemies, and hast put them to shame that hated us.

In God we boast all the day long, and praise thy name for ever. Selah.

But thou hast cast off, and put us to shame; and goest not forth with our armies.

10 Thou makest us to turn back from the enemy: and they which hate us spoil for themselves.

11 Thou hast given us like sheep appointed for meat; and hast scattered us among the heathen.

12 Thou sellest thy people for nought, and dost not increase thy wealth by their price.

13 Thou makest us a reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and a derision to them that are round about us.

14 Thou makest us a byword among the heathen, a shaking of the head among the people.

15 My confusion is continually before me, and the shame of my face hath covered me,

16 For the voice of him that reproacheth and blasphemeth; by reason of the enemy and avenger.

17 All this is come upon us; yet have we not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falsely in thy covenant.

18 Our heart is not turned back, neither have our steps declined from thy way;

19 Though thou hast sore broken us in the place of dragons, 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;

21 Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth 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.

23 Awake, why sleepest thou, O Lord? arise, cast us not off for ever.

24 Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and forgettest our affliction and our oppression?

25 For our soul is bowed down to the dust: our belly cleaveth unto the earth.

26 Arise for our help, and redeem us for thy mercies' sake.

Redemption Remembered in Present Dishonor

To the Chief Musician. A (A)Contemplation[a] of the sons of Korah.

44 We have heard with our ears, O God,
(B)Our fathers have told us,
The deeds You did in their days,
In days of old:
(C)You drove out the [b]nations with Your hand,
But them You planted;
You afflicted the peoples, and cast them out.
For (D)they did not gain possession of the land by their own sword,
Nor did their own arm save them;
But it was Your right hand, Your arm, and the light of Your countenance,
(E)Because You favored them.

(F)You are my King, [c]O God;
[d]Command victories for Jacob.
Through You (G)we will push down our enemies;
Through Your name we will trample those who rise up against us.
For (H)I will not trust in my bow,
Nor shall my sword save me.
But You have saved us from our enemies,
And have put to shame those who hated us.
(I)In God we boast all day long,
And praise Your name forever. Selah

But (J)You have cast us off and put us to shame,
And You do not go out with our armies.
10 You make us (K)turn back from the enemy,
And those who hate us have taken [e]spoil for themselves.
11 (L)You have given us up like sheep intended for food,
And have (M)scattered us among the nations.
12 (N)You sell Your people for next to nothing,
And are not enriched by selling them.

13 (O)You make us a reproach to our neighbors,
A scorn and a derision to those all around us.
14 (P)You make us a byword among the nations,
(Q)A shaking of the head among the peoples.
15 My dishonor is continually before me,
And the shame of my face has covered me,
16 Because of the voice of him who reproaches and reviles,
(R)Because of the enemy and the avenger.

17 (S)All this has come upon us;
But we have not forgotten You,
Nor have we dealt falsely with Your covenant.
18 Our heart has not turned back,
(T)Nor have our steps departed from Your way;
19 But You have severely broken us in (U)the place of jackals,
And covered us (V)with the shadow of death.

20 If we had forgotten the name of our God,
Or (W)stretched[f] out our hands to a foreign god,
21 (X)Would not God search this out?
For He knows the secrets of the heart.
22 (Y)Yet for Your sake we are killed all day long;
We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

23 (Z)Awake! Why do You sleep, O Lord?
Arise! Do not cast us off forever.
24 (AA)Why do You hide Your face,
And forget our affliction and our oppression?
25 For (AB)our soul is bowed down to the [g]dust;
Our body clings to the ground.
26 Arise for our help,
And redeem us for Your mercies’ sake.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 44:1 Heb. Maschil
  2. Psalm 44:2 Gentiles, heathen
  3. Psalm 44:4 So with MT, Tg.; LXX, Vg. and my God
  4. Psalm 44:4 So with MT, Tg.; LXX, Syr., Vg. Who commands
  5. Psalm 44:10 plunder
  6. Psalm 44:20 Worshiped
  7. Psalm 44:25 Ground, in humiliation