1To the choirmaster. A Maskil[1] of the Sons of Korah. O God, we have heard with our ears, our fathers have told us, what deeds you performed in their days, in the days of old: (Ex 10:2; Ex 12:26; Ex 13:8; Ex 13:14; De 6:20; Jud 6:13; Ps 42:1; Ps 77:5; Ps 78:3)2you with your own hand drove out the nations, but them you planted; you afflicted the peoples, but them you set free; (Ex 15:17; Jos 3:10; 2Sa 7:10; Ps 78:55; Ps 80:8; Ps 80:9; Jer 17:8)3for not by their own sword did they win the land, nor did their own arm save them, but your right hand and your arm, and the light of your face, for you delighted in them. (De 4:37; De 7:7; De 10:15; Jos 24:12; Ps 4:6; Ho 1:7)4You are my King, O God; ordain salvation for Jacob! (Ps 42:8; Ps 74:12)5Through you we push down our foes; through your name we tread down those who rise up against us. (De 33:17; Ps 60:12; Da 8:4)6For not in my bow do I trust, nor can my sword save me. (1Sa 17:47; Ps 33:16)7But you have saved us from our foes and have put to shame those who hate us. (Ps 35:4)8In God we have boasted continually, and we will give thanks to your name forever. (Ps 34:2)9But you have rejected us and disgraced us and have not gone out with our armies. (Jud 4:14; 2Sa 5:24; Ps 43:2; Ps 44:23; Ps 60:1; Ps 60:10; Ps 74:1; Ps 89:38; Ps 108:11)10You have made us turn back from the foe, and those who hate us have gotten spoil. (Le 26:17; De 28:25; Jos 7:8; Jos 7:12)11You have made us like sheep for slaughter and have scattered us among the nations. (Le 26:33; De 4:27; De 28:64; Ps 44:22; Ps 106:27; Isa 52:3; Eze 20:23; Joh 7:35; 1Pe 1:1)12You have sold your people for a trifle, demanding no high price for them. (De 32:30; Jud 2:14; Jud 3:8; Jer 15:13)13You have made us the taunt of our neighbors, the derision and scorn of those around us. (Ne 2:17; Ps 39:8; Ps 79:4; Ps 80:6; Ps 89:41; Ps 119:22)14You have made us a byword among the nations, a laughingstock[2] among the peoples. (Job 16:4; Job 17:6; Jer 24:9)15All day long my disgrace is before me, and shame has covered my face (2Ch 32:21)16at the sound of the taunter and reviler, at the sight of the enemy and the avenger. (Ps 8:2)17All this has come upon us, though we have not forgotten you, and we have not been false to your covenant. (Da 9:13)18Our heart has not turned back, nor have our steps departed from your way; (Job 23:11; Ps 37:31; Ps 119:51; Ps 119:157)19yet you have broken us in the place of jackals and covered us with the shadow of death. (Job 3:5; Job 30:29; Ps 51:8)20If we had forgotten the name of our God or spread out our hands to a foreign god, (Job 11:13; Ps 68:31; Ps 81:9)21would not God discover this? For he knows the secrets of the heart. (Ps 139:1; Jer 17:10; Joh 2:25; Heb 4:13)22Yet for your sake we are killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered. (Ps 44:11; Ro 8:36)23Awake! Why are you sleeping, O Lord? Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever! (Ps 35:23; Ps 44:9)24Why do you hide your face? Why do you forget our affliction and oppression? (Job 13:24)25For our soul is bowed down to the dust; our belly clings to the ground. (Ps 119:25)26Rise up; come to our help! Redeem us for the sake of your steadfast love! (Ps 25:22; Ps 63:7)
Psalm 44
New International Version
For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A maskil.
1We have heard it with our ears, O God; our ancestors have told us what you did in their days, in days long ago.[1]2With your hand you drove out the nations and planted our ancestors; you crushed the peoples and made our ancestors flourish.3It was not by their sword that they won the land, nor did their arm bring them victory; it was your right hand, your arm, and the light of your face, for you loved them.4You are my King and my God, who decrees[2] victories for Jacob.5Through you we push back our enemies; through your name we trample our foes.6I put no trust in my bow, my sword does not bring me victory;7but you give us victory over our enemies, you put our adversaries to shame.8In God we make our boast all day long, and we will praise your name for ever.[3]9But now you have rejected and humbled us; you no longer go out with our armies.10You made us retreat before the enemy, and our adversaries have plundered us.11You gave us up to be devoured like sheep and have scattered us among the nations.12You sold your people for a pittance, gaining nothing from their sale.13You have made us a reproach to our neighbours, the scorn and derision of those around us.14You have made us a byword among the nations; the peoples shake their heads at us.15I live in disgrace all day long, and my face is covered with shame16at the taunts of those who reproach and revile me, because of the enemy, who is bent on revenge.17All this came upon us, though we had not forgotten you; we had not been false to your covenant.18Our hearts had not turned back; our feet had not strayed from your path.19But you crushed us and made us a haunt for jackals; you covered us over with deep darkness.20If we had forgotten the name of our God or spread out our hands to a foreign god,21would not God have discovered it, since he knows the secrets of the heart?22Yet for your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.23Awake, Lord! Why do you sleep? Rouse yourself! Do not reject us for ever.24Why do you hide your face and forget our misery and oppression?25We are brought down to the dust; our bodies cling to the ground.26Rise up and help us; rescue us because of your unfailing love.
Psalm 44
King James Version
1To the chief Musician for the sons of Korah, Maschil. We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, what work thou didst in their days, in the times of old.2How thou didst drive out the heathen with thy hand, and plantedst them; how thou didst afflict the people, and cast them out.3For they got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them: but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour unto them.4Thou art my King, O God: command deliverances for Jacob.5Through thee will we push down our enemies: through thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us.6For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me.7But thou hast saved us from our enemies, and hast put them to shame that hated us.8In God we boast all the day long, and praise thy name for ever. Selah.9But thou hast cast off, and put us to shame; and goest not forth with our armies.10Thou makest us to turn back from the enemy: and they which hate us spoil for themselves.11Thou hast given us like sheep appointed for meat; and hast scattered us among the heathen.12Thou sellest thy people for nought, and dost not increase thy wealth by their price.13Thou makest us a reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and a derision to them that are round about us.14Thou makest us a byword among the heathen, a shaking of the head among the people.15My confusion is continually before me, and the shame of my face hath covered me,16For the voice of him that reproacheth and blasphemeth; by reason of the enemy and avenger.17All this is come upon us; yet have we not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falsely in thy covenant.18Our heart is not turned back, neither have our steps declined from thy way;19Though thou hast sore broken us in the place of dragons, and covered us with the shadow of death.20If we have forgotten the name of our God, or stretched out our hands to a strange god;21Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart.22Yea, for thy sake are we killed all the day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter.23Awake, why sleepest thou, O Lord? arise, cast us not off for ever.24Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and forgettest our affliction and our oppression?25For our soul is bowed down to the dust: our belly cleaveth unto the earth.26Arise for our help, and redeem us for thy mercies'sake.
Psalm 44
New International Reader’s Version
For the director of music. A maskil of the Sons of Korah.
1God, we have heard what you did. Those who came before us have told us what you did in their days, in days long ago.2By your power you drove out the nations. You gave our people homes in the land. You crushed the people who were there. And you made our people do well.3They didn’t win the land with their swords. They didn’t gain success by their own power. Your powerful right hand and your mighty arm gave them victory. You gave them success because you loved them.4You are my King and my God. You give victories to the people of Jacob.5With your help we push back our enemies. By your power we walk all over them.6I put no trust in my bow. My sword doesn’t bring me victory.7But you give us victory over our enemies. You put them to shame.8All day long we talk about how great God is. We will praise your name for ever.9But now you have turned your back on us and made us humble. You don’t march out with our armies anymore.10You made us turn and run from our enemies. They have taken what belongs to us.11You handed us over to be eaten up like sheep. You have scattered us among the nations.12You sold your people for very little. You didn’t gain anything when you sold them.13You have made us something that our neighbours laugh at. Those who live around us make fun of us and tease us.14The nations make jokes about us. They shake their heads at us.15All day long I have to live with my shame. My face is covered with it.16That’s because they laugh at me and attack me with their words. They want to get even with me.17All of this happened to us, even though we had not forgotten you. We had not broken the covenant you made with us.18Our hearts had not turned away from you. Our feet had not wandered from your path.19But you crushed us and left us to the wild dogs. You covered us over with deep darkness.20We didn’t forget our God. We didn’t spread out our hands in prayer to a false god.21If we had, God would have discovered it. He knows the secrets of our hearts.22But because of you, we face death all day long. We are considered as sheep to be killed.23Lord, wake up! Why are you sleeping? Get up! Don’t say no to us for ever.24Why do you turn your face away from us? Why do you forget our pain and troubles?25We are brought down to the dust. Our bodies lie flat on the ground.26Rise up and help us. Save us because of your faithful love.