Psalms Chapter 44

For the Choir Director

A Maskil of the Sons of Korah

¹ God, our ancestors have told us

      what you did in their time long ago.

² You drove out nations and planted this one;

         you struck them and scattered them abroad.

³ Our ancestors didn’t conquer the land with their sword;    

            their own arm didn’t save them.

      Your right hand, your arm,

            the light of your presence did it

            when you showed them favor.

Ps 44:1-3

⁴ You’re my King, God;

      ordain victories for Jacob in our day too.

⁵ By your power we’ll push back our adversaries

      and tramp down our attackers.

⁶ We don’t trust in our bow;

         our sword won’t save us.

⁷ You are the one that must save us from our enemies

      and disgrace those who hate us.

⁸ We take pride in you always

      and give you thanks forever.

Ps 44:4-8

⁹ Yet now you’ve set us aside to dishonor;

      you don’t go out with our armies.

¹⁰ You’ve made us retreat from our enemies;

      those who hate us have plundered our land.

¹¹ You’ve butchered us like sheep

      and scattered us among the nations.

¹² You sell us cheap

      and make no profit from doing it.

¹³ You make us a disgrace to our neighbors,

         something to scoff at,

         ¹⁴a byword the world over,

      a laughingstock among the nations.                                

Ps 44:9-14

¹⁵ All day long we’re disgraced and humiliated

         ¹⁶because people insult us;

      we have enemies and avengers everywhere.

¹⁷ That’s all come on us though we haven’t forgotten you

      or been unfaithful to your covenant.

¹⁸ Our heart hasn’t deserted you;

            we haven’t strayed from your way;

         ¹⁹yet you’ve crushed us in a place filled with jackals

            and covered us with the shadow of death.

Ps 44:15-19

²⁰ If we’d forgotten you

            or raised our hands to a foreign god,

         ²¹wouldn’t you have found it out?                                   

            You know all our inner secrets.

²² But for the sake of your honor, our lives are always in danger;

      we’re like sheep headed for slaughter.

²³ Wake up, Yahveh; why are you sleeping?

      don’t reject us forever.

²⁴ Why ignore us

      and forget our suffering and oppression?

²⁵ We’re struck down to the dirt;

      our bodies stick to the ground.

²⁶ Get up and help us;

      redeem us like your enduring love suggests.

Ps 44:20-26