- We have heard with our ears, O God. Our fathers have told us what work you did in their days, in the times of old — how you did drive out the heathen with your hand and planted them, how you did afflict the people and cast them out. For they got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them, but your right hand, and your arm, and the light of your countenance, because you had a favor unto them. You are my King, O God. Command deliverances for Jacob. Through you will we push down our enemies. Through your name will we tread them under that rise up against us. For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me; but you have saved us from our enemies and have put them to shame that hated us. In God we boast all the day long and praise your name for ever. Selah.
- But you have cast off and put us to shame, and go not forth with our armies. You make us to turn back from the enemy, and they who hate us spoil for themselves. You have given us like sheep appointed for food and have scattered us among the heathen. You sell your people for naught and do not increase your wealth by their price. You make us a reproach to our neighbors, a scorn and a derision to them that are round about us. You make us a byword among the heathen, a shaking of the head among the people. My confusion is continually before me, and the shame of my face has covered me for the voice of him that reproaches and blasphemes by reason of the enemy and avenger.
- All this has come upon us, yet have we not forgotten you, neither have we dealt falsely in your covenant. Our heart is not turned back, neither have our steps declined from your way, though you have badly broken us in the place of dragons and covered us with the shadow of death. If we have forgotten the name of our God or stretched out our hands to a strange god, shall not God search this out? For he knows the secrets of the heart. Yea, for your sake are we killed all day long. We are counted as sheep for the slaughter.
- Awake; why do you sleep, O Lord? Arise; cast us not off for ever. Why do you hide your face and forget our affliction and our oppression? For our soul is bowed down to the dust. Our belly cleaves unto the earth. Arise for our help and redeem us for your mercies’ sake.
Psalm 44
To the chief musician, for the sons of Korah, Maskil.