Psalm 4421

For the music director; by the Korahites, a well-written song.22

44:1 O God, we have clearly heard;1

our ancestors2 have told us

what you did3 in their days,

in ancient times.4

44:2 You, by your power,5 defeated nations and settled our fathers on their land;6

you crushed7 the people living there8 and enabled our ancestors to occupy it.9

44:3 For they did not conquer10 the land by their swords,

and they did not prevail by their strength,11

but rather by your power,12 strength13 and good favor,14

for you were partial to15 them.

44:4 You are my16 king, O God!

Decree17 Jacob’s18 deliverance!

44:5 By your power19 we will drive back20 our enemies;

by your strength21 we will trample down22 our foes!23

44:6 For I do not trust in my bow,

and I do not prevail by my sword.

44:7 For you deliver24 us from our enemies;

you humiliate25 those who hate us.

44:8 In God I boast all day long,

and we will continually give thanks to your name.

(Selah)

44:9 But26 you rejected and embarrassed us!

You did not go into battle with our armies.27

44:10 You made us retreat28 from the enemy.

Those who hate us take whatever they want from us.29

44:11 You handed us30 over like sheep to be eaten;

you scattered us among the nations.

44:12 You sold31 your people for a pittance;32

you did not ask a high price for them.33

44:13 You made us34 an object of disdain to our neighbors;

those who live on our borders taunt and insult us.35

44:14 You made us36 an object of ridicule37 among the nations;

foreigners treat us with contempt.38

44:15 All day long I feel humiliated39

and am overwhelmed with shame,40

44:16 before the vindictive enemy

who ridicules and insults me.41

44:17 All this has happened to us, even though we have not rejected you42

or violated your covenant with us.43

44:18 We have not been unfaithful,44

nor have we disobeyed your commands.45

44:19 Yet you have battered us, leaving us a heap of ruins overrun by wild dogs;46

you have covered us with darkness.47

44:20 If we had rejected our God,48

and spread out our hands in prayer to another god,49

44:21 would not God discover it,

for he knows50 one’s thoughts?51

44:22 Yet because of you52 we are killed all day long;

we are treated like53 sheep at the slaughtering block.54

44:23 Rouse yourself! Why do you sleep, O Lord?

Wake up!55 Do not reject us forever!

44:24 Why do you look the other way,56

and ignore57 the way we are oppressed and mistreated?58

44:25 For we lie in the dirt,

with our bellies pressed to the ground.59

44:26 Rise up and help us!

Rescue us60 because of your loyal love!