Psalms

The second book of Psalms, song 44, New English Translation and King James Version

Psalm 44

New English Translation

For the music director; by the Korahites, a well-written song.

   1 O God, we have clearly heard; our ancestors have told us what you did in their days, in ancient times.
   2 You, by your power, defeated nations and settled our fathers on their land; you crushed the people living there and enabled our ancestors to occupy it.
   3 For they did not conquer the land by their swords, and they did not prevail by their strength, but rather by your power, strength and good favor, for you were partial to them.
   4 You are my king, O God! Decree Jacob's deliverance!
   5 By your power we will drive back our enemies; by your strength we will trample down our foes!
   6 For I do not trust in my bow, and I do not prevail by my sword.
   7 For you deliver us from our enemies; you humiliate those who hate us.
   8 In God I boast all day long, and we will continually give thanks to your name. (Selah)
   9 But you rejected and embarrassed us! You did not go into battle with our armies.
   10 You made us retreat from the enemy. Those who hate us take whatever they want from us.
   11 You handed us over like sheep to be eaten; you scattered us among the nations.
   12 You sold your people for a pittance; you did not ask a high price for them.
   13 You made us an object of disdain to our neighbors; those who live on our borders taunt and insult us.
   14 You made us an object of ridicule among the nations; foreigners treat us with contempt.
   15 All day long I feel humiliated and am overwhelmed with shame,
   16 before the vindictive enemy who ridicules and insults me.
   17 All this has happened to us, even though we have not rejected you or violated your covenant with us.
   18 We have not been unfaithful, nor have we disobeyed your commands.
   19 Yet you have battered us, leaving us a heap of ruins overrun by wild dogs; you have covered us with darkness.
   20 If we had rejected our God, and spread out our hands in prayer to another god,
   21 would not God discover it, for he knows one's thoughts?
   22 Yet because of you we are killed all day long; we are treated like sheep at the slaughtering block.
   23 Rouse yourself! Why do you sleep, O LORD? Wake up! Do not reject us forever!
   24 Why do you look the other way, and ignore the way we are oppressed and mistreated?
   25 For we lie in the dirt, with our bellies pressed to the ground.
   26 Rise up and help us! Rescue us because of your loyal love!

King James Version

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

   1 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.
   2 How thou didst drive out the heathen with thy hand, and plantedst them; how thou didst afflict the people, and cast them out.
   3 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.
   4 Thou art my King, O God: command deliverances for Jacob.
   5 Through thee will we push down our enemies: through thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us.
   6 For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me.
   7 But thou hast saved us from our enemies, and hast put them to shame that hated us.
   8 In God we boast all the day long, and praise thy name for ever. Selah.
   9 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.