Psalms 44 — NETB

For the music director; by the Korahites, a well-written song.

44Verse 1O God, we have clearly heard;
our ancestors have told us
what you did in their days,
in ancient times.
^{Verse 2}You, by your power, defeated nations and settled our fathers on their land;
you crushed the people living there and enabled our ancestors to occupy it.
^{Verse 3}For they did not conquer the land by their swords,
and they did not prevail by their strength,
but rather by your power, strength and good favor,
for you were partial to them.
^{Verse 4}You are my king, O God!
Decree Jacob’s deliverance!
^{Verse 5}By your power we will drive back our enemies;
by your strength we will trample down our foes!
^{Verse 6}For I do not trust in my bow,
and I do not prevail by my sword.
^{Verse 7}For you deliver us from our enemies;
you humiliate those who hate us.
^{Verse 8}In God I boast all day long,
and we will continually give thanks to your name. (Selah)
^{Verse 9}But you rejected and embarrassed us!
You did not go into battle with our armies.
^{Verse 10}You made us retreat from the enemy.
Those who hate us take whatever they want from us.
^{Verse 11}You handed us over like sheep to be eaten;
you scattered us among the nations.
^{Verse 12}You sold your people for a pittance;
you did not ask a high price for them.
^{Verse 13}You made us an object of disdain to our neighbors;
those who live on our borders taunt and insult us.
^{Verse 14}You made us an object of ridicule among the nations;
foreigners treat us with contempt.
^{Verse 15}All day long I feel humiliated
and am overwhelmed with shame,
^{Verse 16}before the vindictive enemy
who ridicules and insults me.
^{Verse 17}All this has happened to us, even though we have not rejected you
or violated your covenant with us.
^{Verse 18}We have not been unfaithful,
nor have we disobeyed your commands.
^{Verse 19}Yet you have battered us, leaving us a heap of ruins overrun by wild dogs;
you have covered us with darkness.
^{Verse 20}If we had rejected our God,
and spread out our hands in prayer to another god,
^{Verse 21}would not God discover it,
for he knows one’s thoughts?
^{Verse 22}Yet because of you we are killed all day long;
we are treated like sheep at the slaughtering block.
^{Verse 23}Rouse yourself! Why do you sleep, O Lord?
Wake up! Do not reject us forever!
^{Verse 24}Why do you look the other way,
and ignore the way we are oppressed and mistreated?
^{Verse 25}For we lie in the dirt,
with our bellies pressed to the ground.
^{Verse 26}Rise up and help us!
Rescue us because of your loyal love!