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Psalm 44

For the choir director; a maskil by Korah’s descendants.

O Elohim,
    we have heard it with our own ears.
    Our ancestors have told us
        about the miracle you performed in their day,
            in days long ago.
By your power you forced nations out of the land,
    but you planted our ancestors there.
    You shattered many groups of people,
    but you set our ancestors free.[a]
It was not with their swords that they took possession of the land.
    They did not gain victory with their own strength.
    It was your right hand, your arm,
    and the light of your presence that did it,
        because you were pleased with them.

You alone are my Melek, O Elohim.
    You won those victories for Jacob.
With you we can walk over our enemies.
    With your name we can trample those who attack us.
        I do not rely on my bow,
            and my sword will never save me.
But you saved us from our enemies.
    You put to shame those who hate us.
All day long we praise our Elohim.
    We give thanks to you forever. Selah

But now you have rejected and disgraced us.
    You do not even go along with our armies.
10 You make us retreat from the enemy.
    Those who hate us rob us at will.
11 You hand us over to be butchered like sheep
    and scatter us among the nations.
12 You sell your people for almost nothing,
    and at that price you have gained nothing.
13 You made us a disgrace to our neighbors
    and an object of ridicule and contempt to those around us.
14 You made our defeat a proverb among the nations
    so that people shake their heads at us.
15 All day long my disgrace is in front of me.
    Shame covers my face
16 because of the words of those who insult and slander us,
    because of the presence of the enemy and the avenger.

17 Although all of this happened to us,
    we never forgot you.
    We never ignored your promise.[b]
18 Our hearts never turned away.
    Our feet never left your path.
19 Yet, you crushed us in a place for jackals
    and covered us with the shadow of death.

20 If we forgot the name of our Elohim
    or stretched out our hands to pray to another god,
21 wouldn’t Elohim find out,
    since he knows the secrets in our hearts?
22 Indeed, we are being killed all day long because of you.
    We are thought of as sheep to be slaughtered.

23 Wake up! Why are you sleeping, O Adonay?
    Awake! Do not reject us forever!
24 Why do you hide your face?
    Why do you forget our suffering and misery?
25 Our souls are bowing in the dust.
    Our bodies cling to the ground.
26 Arise! Help us!
    Rescue us because of your mercy!

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 44:2 Or “and you sent them away.”
  2. Psalm 44:17 Or “covenant.”

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.