Psalm 44 | King James Version

King James Version

1 To 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. 2 How thou didst drive out the heathen with thy hand, and plantedst them; how thou didst afflict the people, and cast them out. 3 For 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. 4 Thou art my King, O God: command deliverances for Jacob. 5 Through thee will we push down our enemies: through thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us. 6 For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me. 7 But thou hast saved us from our enemies, and hast put them to shame that hated us. 8 In God we boast all the day long, and praise thy name for ever. Selah. 9 But thou hast cast off, and put us to shame; and goest not forth with our armies. 10 Thou makest us to turn back from the enemy: and they which hate us spoil for themselves. 11 Thou hast given us like sheep appointed for meat; and hast scattered us among the heathen. 12 Thou sellest thy people for nought, and dost not increase thy wealth by their price. 13 Thou makest us a reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and a derision to them that are round about us. 14 Thou makest us a byword among the heathen, a shaking of the head among the people. 15 My confusion is continually before me, and the shame of my face hath covered me, 16 For the voice of him that reproacheth and blasphemeth; by reason of the enemy and avenger. 17 All this is come upon us; yet have we not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falsely in thy covenant. 18 Our heart is not turned back, neither have our steps declined from thy way; 19 Though thou hast sore broken us in the place of dragons, and covered us with the shadow of death. 20 If we have forgotten the name of our God, or stretched out our hands to a strange god; 21 Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart. 22 Yea, for thy sake are we killed all the day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter. 23 Awake, why sleepest thou, O Lord? arise, cast us not off for ever. 24 Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and forgettest our affliction and our oppression? 25 For our soul is bowed down to the dust: our belly cleaveth unto the earth. 26 Arise for our help, and redeem us for thy mercies'sake.

New International Reader’s Version

For the director of music. A maskil of the Sons of Korah.

1 God, we have heard what you did. Those who came before us have told us what you did in their days, in days long ago. 2 By 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. 3 They 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. 4 You are my King and my God. You give victories to the people of Jacob. 5 With your help we push back our enemies. By your power we walk all over them. 6 I put no trust in my bow. My sword doesn’t bring me victory. 7 But you give us victory over our enemies. You put them to shame. 8 All day long we talk about how great God is. We will praise your name for ever. 9 But now you have turned your back on us and made us humble. You don’t march out with our armies anymore. 10 You made us turn and run from our enemies. They have taken what belongs to us. 11 You handed us over to be eaten up like sheep. You have scattered us among the nations. 12 You sold your people for very little. You didn’t gain anything when you sold them. 13 You have made us something that our neighbours laugh at. Those who live around us make fun of us and tease us. 14 The nations make jokes about us. They shake their heads at us. 15 All day long I have to live with my shame. My face is covered with it. 16 That’s because they laugh at me and attack me with their words. They want to get even with me. 17 All of this happened to us, even though we had not forgotten you. We had not broken the covenant you made with us. 18 Our hearts had not turned away from you. Our feet had not wandered from your path. 19 But you crushed us and left us to the wild dogs. You covered us over with deep darkness. 20 We didn’t forget our God. We didn’t spread out our hands in prayer to a false god. 21 If we had, God would have discovered it. He knows the secrets of our hearts. 22 But because of you, we face death all day long. We are considered as sheep to be killed. 23 Lord, wake up! Why are you sleeping? Get up! Don’t say no to us for ever. 24 Why do you turn your face away from us? Why do you forget our pain and troubles? 25 We are brought down to the dust. Our bodies lie flat on the ground. 26 Rise up and help us. Save us because of your faithful love.