Psalm 44

For the choir director. Of the sons of Korah. A maskil.

1God, we have heard with our ears; our ancestors have told us of the work you did in their days, in days long ago.

2With your own hand you drove out nations but planted our ancestors; you crushed peoples but let our ancestors spread out.

3For it was not by their sword that they took possession of the land, and their own arm did not save them; it was your right hand and your arm and the light of your face, because you delighted in them.

4You are my King, God; command victories for Jacob.

5Through you we push back our foes; through your name we trample those who rise up against us.

6For I do not trust in my bow, and my sword does not save me.

7But you have saved us from our foes, and you have put to shame those who hate us.

8In God we have boasted all day long, and we will give thanks to your name forever. Selah.

9But now you have rejected us and humiliated us, and you do not go out with our armies.

10You make us turn back from the foe, and those who hate us have taken plunder for themselves.

11You have handed us over like sheep to be eaten and have scattered us among the nations.

12You sell your people for a pittance and make no profit from their sale.

13You have made us an object of reproach to our neighbors, the scorn and mockery of those around us.

14You have made us a byword among the nations; the peoples shake their heads at us.

15All day long my disgrace is before me, and shame has covered my face

16at the voice of the one who taunts and reviles, because of the enemy and the avenger.

17All this has come upon us, though we have not forgotten you or been false to your covenant.

18Our heart has not turned back, and our steps have not strayed from your path,

19yet you have crushed us in the haunt of jackals and covered us with the shadow of death.

20If we had forgotten the name of our God or spread out our hands to a foreign god,

21would not God have found this out? For he knows the secrets of the heart.

22Yet for your sake we are killed all day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.

23Wake up! Why are you sleeping, Lord? Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever.

24Why do you hide your face and forget our misery and oppression?

25For our soul is bowed down to the dust; our bellies cling to the ground.

26Rise up and help us; redeem us for the sake of your steadfast love.