To the choirmaster. A Maskil of the Sons of Korah.

1We have heard with our ears, O God,

our fathers have told us,

what deeds thou didst perform in their days,

in the days of old:

2thou with thy own hand didst drive out the nations,

but them thou didst plant;

thou didst afflict the peoples,

but them thou didst set free;

3for not by their own sword did they win the land,

nor did their own arm give them victory;

but thy right hand, and thy arm,

and the light of thy countenance;

for thou didst delight in them.

4Thou art my King and my God,

who ordainest44.4 Gk Syr: Heb Thou art my King, O God; ordain victories for Jacob.

5Through thee we push down our foes;

through thy name we tread down our assailants.

6For not in my bow do I trust,

nor can my sword save me.

7But thou hast saved us from our foes,

and hast put to confusion those who hate us.

8In God we have boasted continually,

and we will give thanks to thy name for ever. Selah

9Yet thou hast cast us off and abased us,

and hast not gone out with our armies.

10Thou hast made us turn back from the foe;

and our enemies have gotten spoil.

11Thou hast made us like sheep for slaughter,

and hast scattered us among the nations.

12Thou hast sold thy people for a trifle,

demanding no high price for them.

13Thou hast made us the taunt of our neighbours,

the derision and scorn of those about us.

14Thou hast made us a byword among the nations,

a laughingstock44.14 Heb a shaking of the head among the peoples.

15All day long my disgrace is before me,

and shame has covered my face,

16at the words of the taunters and revilers,

at the sight of the enemy and the avenger.

17All this has come upon us,

though we have not forgotten thee,

or been false to thy covenant.

18Our heart has not turned back,

nor have our steps departed from thy way,

19that thou shouldst have broken us in the place of jackals,

and covered us with deep darkness.

20If we had forgotten the name of our God,

or spread forth our hands to a strange god,

21would not God discover this?

For he knows the secrets of the heart.

2244.22: Rom 8.36.Nay, for thy sake we are slain all the day long,

and accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

23Rouse thyself! Why sleepest thou, O Lord?

Awake! Do not cast us off for ever!

24Why dost thou hide thy face?

Why dost thou forget our affliction and oppression?

25For our soul is bowed down to the dust;

our body cleaves to the ground.

26Rise up, come to our help!

Deliver us for the sake of thy steadfast love!