Psalms 44

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.

1 It has come to our ears, O God, our fathers have given us the story, of the works which you did in their days, in the old times,

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

2Uprooting the nations with your hand, and planting our fathers in their place; cutting down the nations, but increasing the growth of your people.

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.

3For they did not make the land theirs by their swords, and it was not their arms which kept them safe; but your right hand, and your arm, and the light of your face, because you had pleasure in them.

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

4You are my King and my God; ordering salvation for Jacob.

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

5Through you will we overcome our haters; by your name will they be crushed under our feet who are violent against us.

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

6I will not put faith in my bow, my sword will not be my salvation.

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

7But it is you who have been our saviour from those who were against us, and have put to shame those who had hate for us.

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

8Our pride is in God at all times, to his name we give praise for ever. (Selah.)

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

9But now you have sent us away from you, and put us to shame; you do not go out with our armies.

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

10Because of this we are turned back by the attacker: those who have hate for us take our goods for themselves.

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

11You have made us like sheep which are taken for meat; we are put to flight among the nations.

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

12You let your people go for nothing; your wealth is not increased by their price.

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

13You have made us to be looked down on by our neighbours, we are laughed at and shamed by those who are round about us.

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

14Our name is a word of shame among the nations, a sign for the shaking of heads among the peoples.

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

15My downfall is ever before me, and I am covered with the shame of my face;

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

16Because of the voice of him who says sharp and bitter words; because of the hater and him who is the instrument of punishment.

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

17All this has come on us, but still we have kept you in our memory; and we have not been false to your word.

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

18Our hearts have not gone back, and our steps have not been turned out of your way;

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

19Though you have let us be crushed in the place of jackals, though we are covered with darkest shade.

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

20If the name of our God has gone out of our minds, or if our hands have been stretched out to a strange god,

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

21Will not God make search for it? for he sees the secrets of the heart.

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

22Truly, because of you we are put to death every day; we are numbered like sheep for destruction.

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

23Why are you sleeping, O Lord? awake! and come to our help, do not give us up for ever.

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

24Why is your face covered, and why do you give no thought to our trouble and our cruel fate?

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

25For our souls are crushed down to the dust: our bodies are stretched out on the earth.

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

26Up! and come to our help, and give us salvation because of your mercy.