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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.”

Former deliverances and present troubles.

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. Maschil.

44 We have heard with our ears, O God,
Our fathers have told us,
What work thou didst in their days,
In the days of old.
Thou didst drive out the nations with thy hand;
But them thou didst plant:
Thou didst afflict the peoples;
But them thou didst spread abroad.
For they gat 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 wast favorable unto them.
Thou art my King, O God:
Command [a]deliverance for Jacob.
Through thee will we push down our adversaries:
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 adversaries,
And hast put them to shame that hate us.
In God have we made our boast all the day long,
And we will give thanks unto thy name for ever. Selah

But now thou hast cast us off, and brought us to dishonor,
And goest not forth with our hosts.
10 Thou makest us to turn back from the adversary;
And they that hate us take spoil for themselves.
11 Thou hast made us like sheep appointed for food,
And hast scattered us among the nations.
12 Thou sellest thy people for nought,
And hast not increased thy wealth by their price.
13 Thou makest us a reproach to our neighbors,
A scoffing and a derision to them that are round about us.
14 Thou makest us a byword among the nations,
A shaking of the head among the peoples.
15 All the day long is my dishonor 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 the 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 [b]That thou hast sore broken us in the place of jackals,
And covered us with the shadow of death.
20 If we have forgotten the name of our God,
Or spread forth our hands to a strange god;
21 Will 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 accounted 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 body cleaveth unto the earth.
26 Rise up for our help,
And redeem us for thy lovingkindness’ sake.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 44:4 Or, victories
  2. Psalm 44:19 Or, Though