Psalm 44
- We have heard it with our ears, O God;
our ancestors have told us
what you did in their days,
in days long ago.
- With your hand you drove out the nations
and planted our ancestors;
you crushed the peoples
and made our ancestors flourish.
- It 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.
- You are my King and my God,
who decrees victories for Jacob.
- Through you we push back our enemies;
through your name we trample our foes.
- I put no trust in my bow,
my sword does not bring me victory;
- but you give us victory over our enemies,
you put our adversaries to shame.
- In God we make our boast all day long,
and we will praise your name forever.
- But now you have rejected and humbled us;
you no longer go out with our armies.
- You made us retreat before the enemy,
and our adversaries have plundered us.
- You gave us up to be devoured like sheep
and have scattered us among the nations.
- You sold your people for a pittance,
gaining nothing from their sale.
- You have made us a reproach to our neighbors,
the scorn and derision of those around us.
- You have made us a byword among the nations;
the peoples shake their heads at us.
- I live in disgrace all day long,
and my face is covered with shame
- at the taunts of those who reproach and revile me,
because of the enemy, who is bent on revenge.
- All this came upon us,
though we had not forgotten you;
we had not been false to your covenant.
- Our hearts had not turned back;
our feet had not strayed from your path.
- But you crushed us and made us a haunt for jackals;
you covered us over with deep darkness.
- If we had forgotten the name of our God
or spread out our hands to a foreign god,
- would not God have discovered it,
since he knows the secrets of the heart?
- Yet for your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.
- Awake, Lord! Why do you sleep?
Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever.
- Why do you hide your face
and forget our misery and oppression?
- We are brought down to the dust;
our bodies cling to the ground.
- Rise up and help us;
rescue us because of your unfailing love.
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