Psalm 44

To the chief Musician for the sons of Korah, Maschil.

1We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, what work thou didst in their days, in the times of old.footnote a

2How thou didst drive out the heathen with thy hand, and plantedst them; how thou didst afflict the people, and cast them out.

3For 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.

4Thou art my King, O God: command deliverances for Jacob.

5Through thee will we push down our enemies: through thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us.

6For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me.

7But thou hast saved us from our enemies, and hast put them to shame that hated us.

8In God we boast all the day long, and praise thy name for ever. Selah.

9But thou hast cast off, and put us to shame; and goest not forth with our armies.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

19Though thou hast sore broken us in the place of dragons, and covered us with the shadow of death.

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

21Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart.

22Yea, for thy sake are we killed all the day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter.

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

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

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

26Arise for our help, and redeem us for thy mercies’ sake.footnote e

Redeem Us, O God

For the choirmaster. A Maskil of the sons of Korah.

1We have heard with our ears, O God;our fathers have told usthe work You did in their days,in the days of old. 2With Your hand You drove out the nationsand planted our fathers there;You crushed the peoplesand cast them out. 3For it was not by their sword that they took the land;their arm did not bring them victory.It was by Your right hand,Your arm, and the light of Your face,because You favored them.

4You are my King, O God,who ordains victories for Jacob. 5Through You we repel our foes;through Your name we trample our enemies. 6For I do not trust in my bow,nor does my sword save me.footnote a 7For You save us from our enemies;You put those who hate us to shame. 8In God we have boasted all day long,and Your name we will praise forever.Selah 9But You have rejected and humbled us;You no longer go forth with our armies. 10You have made us retreat from the foe,and those who hate us have plundered us. 11You have given us up as sheep to be devoured;You have scattered us among the nations. 12You sell Your people for nothing;no profit do You gain from their sale.

13You have made us a reproach to our neighbors,a mockery and derision to those around us. 14You have made us a byword among the nations,a laughingstockfootnote bamong the peoples. 15All day long my disgrace is before me,and shame has covered my face, 16at the voice of the scorner and reviler,because of the enemy, bent on revenge.

17All this has come upon us,though we have not forgotten Youor betrayed Your covenant. 18Our hearts have not turned back;our steps have not strayed from Your path. 19But You have crushed us in the lair of jackals;footnote cYou have covered us with deepest darkness.

20If we had forgotten the name of our Godor spread out our hands to a foreign god, 21would not God have discovered,since He knows the secrets of the heart? 22Yet for Your sake we face death all day long;we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.footnote d

23Wake up, O Lord! Why are You sleeping?Arise! Do not reject us forever. 24Why do You hide Your faceand forget our affliction and oppression? 25For our soul has sunk to the dust;our bodies cling to the earth. 26Rise up; be our help!Redeem us on account of Your loving devotion.