Psalm 44

¹We have heard with our ears, O God, our forefathers have told us, *the deeds you did in their days, in the days of old.

²How with your hand you drove the peoples out and planted our forefathers in the land; *how you destroyed nations and made your people flourish.

³For they did not take the land by their sword, nor did their arm win the victory for them; *but your right hand, your arm, and the light of your countenance, because you favored them.

⁴You are my King and my God; *you command victories for Jacob.

⁵Through you we pushed back our adversaries; *through your Name we trampled on those who rose up against us.

⁶For I do not rely on my bow, *and my sword does not give me the victory.

⁷Surely, you gave us victory over our adversaries *and put those who hate us to shame.

⁸Every day we gloried in God, *and we will praise your Name for ever.

⁹Nevertheless, you have rejected and humbled us *and do not go forth with our armies.

¹⁰You have made us fall back before our adversary, *and our enemies have plundered us.

¹¹You have made us like sheep to be eaten *and have scattered us among the nations.

¹²You are selling your people for a trifle *and are making no profit on the sale of them.

¹³You have made us the scorn of our neighbors, *a mockery and derision to those around us.

¹⁴You have made us a byword among the nations, *a laughing-stock among the peoples.

¹⁵My humiliation is daily before me, *and shame has covered my face;

¹⁶Because of the taunts of the mockers and blasphemers, *because of the enemy and avenger.

¹⁷All this has come upon us; *yet we have not forgotten you, nor have we betrayed your covenant.

¹⁸Our heart never turned back, *nor did our footsteps stray from your path;

¹⁹Though you thrust us down into a place of misery, *and covered us over with deep darkness.

²⁰If we have forgotten the Name of our God, *or stretched out our hands to some strange god,

²¹Will not God find it out? *for he knows the secrets of the heart.

²²Indeed, for your sake we are killed all the day long; *we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

²³Awake, O Lord! why are you sleeping? *Arise! do not reject us for ever.

²⁴Why have you hidden your face *and forgotten our affliction and oppression?

²⁵We sink down into the dust; *our body cleaves to the ground.

²⁶Rise up, and help us, *and save us, for the sake of your steadfast love.