Psalm 44
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Psalm 44
National Lament and Prayer for Help
To the leader. Of the Korahites. A Maskil.
1 We have heard with our ears, O God;
our ancestors have told us
what deeds you performed in their days,
in the days of old:(A)
2 you with your own hand drove out the nations,
but them you planted;
you afflicted the peoples,
but them you set free;(B)
3 for not by their own sword did they win the land,
nor did their own arm give them victory,
but your right hand, and your arm,
and the light of your countenance,
for you delighted in them.(C)
4 You are my King and my God;
you command[a] victories for Jacob.
5 Through you we push down our foes;
through your name we tread down our assailants.(D)
6 For not in my bow do I trust,
nor can my sword save me.
7 But you have saved us from our foes
and have put to confusion those who hate us.(E)
8 In God we have boasted continually,
and we will give thanks to your name forever. Selah(F)
9 Yet you have rejected us and shamed us
and have not gone out with our armies.(G)
10 You made us turn back from the foe,
and our enemies have gotten spoil.(H)
11 You have made us like sheep for slaughter
and have scattered us among the nations.(I)
12 You have sold your people for a trifle,
demanding no high price for them.(J)
13 You have made us the taunt of our neighbors,
the derision and scorn of those around us.(K)
14 You have made us a byword among the nations,
a laughingstock[b] among the peoples.(L)
15 All day long my disgrace is before me,
and shame has covered my face
16 at the words of the taunters and revilers,
at the sight of the enemy and the avenger.(M)
17 All this has come upon us,
yet we have not forgotten you
or been false to your covenant.(N)
18 Our heart has not turned back,
nor have our steps departed from your way,(O)
19 yet you have broken us in the haunt of jackals
and covered us with deep darkness.(P)
20 If we had forgotten the name of our God
or spread out our hands to a strange god,(Q)
21 would not God discover this?
For he knows the secrets of the heart.(R)
22 Because of you we are being killed all day long
and accounted as sheep for the slaughter.(S)
23 Rouse yourself! Why do you sleep, O Lord?
Awake, do not cast us off forever!(T)
24 Why do you hide your face?
Why do you forget our affliction and oppression?(U)
25 For we sink down to the dust;
our bodies cling to the ground.(V)
26 Rise up, come to our help.
Redeem us for the sake of your steadfast love.(W)
Psalm 44
Revised Standard Version
National Lament and Prayer for Help
To the choirmaster. A Maskil of the Sons of Korah.
44 We have heard with our ears, O God,
our fathers have told us,
what deeds thou didst perform in their days,
in the days of old:
2 thou with thy own hand didst drive out the nations,
but them thou didst plant;
thou didst afflict the peoples,
but them thou didst set free;
3 for not by their own sword did they win the land,
nor did their own arm give them victory;
but thy right hand, and thy arm,
and the light of thy countenance;
for thou didst delight in them.
4 Thou art my King and my God,
who ordainest[a] victories for Jacob.
5 Through thee we push down our foes;
through thy name we tread down our assailants.
6 For not in my bow do I trust,
nor can my sword save me.
7 But thou hast saved us from our foes,
and hast put to confusion those who hate us.
8 In God we have boasted continually,
and we will give thanks to thy name for ever.Selah
9 Yet thou hast cast us off and abased us,
and hast not gone out with our armies.
10 Thou hast made us turn back from the foe;
and our enemies have gotten spoil.
11 Thou hast made us like sheep for slaughter,
and hast scattered us among the nations.
12 Thou hast sold thy people for a trifle,
demanding no high price for them.
13 Thou hast made us the taunt of our neighbors,
the derision and scorn of those about us.
14 Thou hast made us a byword among the nations,
a laughingstock[b] among the peoples.
15 All day long my disgrace is before me,
and shame has covered my face,
16 at the words of the taunters and revilers,
at the sight of the enemy and the avenger.
17 All this has come upon us,
though we have not forgotten thee,
or been false to thy covenant.
18 Our heart has not turned back,
nor have our steps departed from thy way,
19 that thou shouldst have broken us in the place of jackals,
and covered us with deep darkness.
20 If we had forgotten the name of our God,
or spread forth our hands to a strange god,
21 would not God discover this?
For he knows the secrets of the heart.
22 Nay, for thy sake we are slain all the day long,
and accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
23 Rouse thyself! Why sleepest thou, O Lord?
Awake! Do not cast us off for ever!
24 Why dost thou hide thy face?
Why dost thou forget our affliction and oppression?
25 For our soul is bowed down to the dust;
our body cleaves to the ground.
26 Rise up, come to our help!
Deliver us for the sake of thy steadfast love!
Footnotes
- Psalm 44:4 Gk Syr: Heb Thou art my King, O God; ordain
- Psalm 44:14 Heb a shaking of the head
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1946, 1952, and 1971 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.