Psalm 44

For the choir director: A psalm^a of the descendants of Korah.

¹O God, we have heard it with our own ears—

our ancestors have told us

of all you did in their day,

in days long ago:

²You drove out the pagan nations by your power

and gave all the land to our ancestors.

You crushed their enemies

and set our ancestors free.

³They did not conquer the land with their swords;

it was not their own strong arm that gave them victory.

It was your right hand and strong arm

and the blinding light from your face that helped them,

for you loved them.

⁴You are my King and my God.

You command victories for Israel.^b

⁵Only by your power can we push back our enemies;

only in your name can we trample our foes.

⁶I do not trust in my bow;

I do not count on my sword to save me.

⁷You are the one who gives us victory over our enemies;

you disgrace those who hate us.

⁸O God, we give glory to you all day long

and constantly praise your name. Interlude

⁹But now you have tossed us aside in dishonor.

You no longer lead our armies to battle.

¹⁰You make us retreat from our enemies

and allow those who hate us to plunder our land.

¹¹You have butchered us like sheep

and scattered us among the nations.

¹²You sold your precious people for a pittance,

making nothing on the sale.

¹³You let our neighbors mock us.

We are an object of scorn and derision to those around us.

¹⁴You have made us the butt of their jokes;

they shake their heads at us in scorn.

¹⁵We can’t escape the constant humiliation;

shame is written across our faces.

¹⁶All we hear are the taunts of our mockers.

All we see are our vengeful enemies.

¹⁷All this has happened though we have not forgotten you.

We have not violated your covenant.

¹⁸Our hearts have not deserted you.

We have not strayed from your path.

¹⁹Yet you have crushed us in the jackal’s desert home.

You have covered us with darkness and death.

²⁰If we had forgotten the name of our God

or spread our hands in prayer to foreign gods,

²¹God would surely have known it,

for he knows the secrets of every heart.

²²But for your sake we are killed every day;

we are being slaughtered like sheep.

²³Wake up, O Lord! Why do you sleep?

Get up! Do not reject us forever.

²⁴Why do you look the other way?

Why do you ignore our suffering and oppression?

²⁵We collapse in the dust,

lying face down in the dirt.

²⁶Rise up! Help us!

Ransom us because of your unfailing love.