44:1 For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A maskil. We have heard with our ears, O God; our fathers have told us what you did in their days, in days long ago.

44:2 With your hand you drove out the nations and planted our fathers; you crushed the peoples and made our fathers flourish.

44:3 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.

44:4 You are my King and my God, who decrees victories for Jacob.

44:5 Through you we push back our enemies; through your name we trample our foes.

44:6 I do not trust in my bow, my sword does not bring me victory;

44:7 but you give us victory over our enemies, you put our adversaries to shame.

44:8 In God we make our boast all day long, and we will praise your name forever. Selah

44:9 But now you have rejected and humbled us; you no longer go out with our armies.

44:10 You made us retreat before the enemy, and our adversaries have plundered us.

44:11 You gave us up to be devoured like sheep and have scattered us among the nations.

44:12 You sold your people for a pittance, gaining nothing from their sale.

44:13 You have made us a reproach to our neighbors, the scorn and derision of those around us.

44:14 You have made us a byword among the nations; the peoples shake their heads at us.

44:15 My disgrace is before me all day long, and my face is covered with shame

44:16 at the taunts of those who reproach and revile me, because of the enemy, who is bent on revenge.

44:17 All this happened to us, though we had not forgotten you or been false to your covenant.

44:18 Our hearts had not turned back; our feet had not strayed from your path.

44:19 But you crushed us and made us a haunt for jackals and covered us over with deep darkness.

44:20 If we had forgotten the name of our God or spread out our hands to a foreign god,

44:21 would not God have discovered it, since he knows the secrets of the heart?

44:22 Yet for your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.

44:23 Awake, O Lord! Why do you sleep? Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever.

44:24 Why do you hide your face and forget our misery and oppression?

44:25 We are brought down to the dust; our bodies cling to the ground.

44:26 Rise up and help us; redeem us because of your unfailing love.