Psalm 44
Words: The Psalter of the United Presbyterian Church of North America, 1887 ed.
Note: This page also has a common metre version of this psalm.
1 O God, we have heard, and our fathers have taught
The works which of old, in their day, thou hadst wrought.
The nations were crushed, and expelled by thy hand,
Cast out that thy people might dwell in their land.
2 They gained not the land by the edge of the sword,
Their own arm to them could no safety afford;
But by thy right hand, and the light of thy face,
The strength of thy arm, and because of thy grace.
3 To Jacob, O God, thou my Savior and King,
Command, and thy word shall deliverance bring.
We through thy assistance will push down our foe;
In thy name we'll trample on all that oppose.
4 No trust will I place in my bow to defend,
Nor yet on my sword for my safety depend,
In God who has saved us, and put them to shame,
We boast all the day, ever praising his name.
5 But now we're cast off, and with shame are brought low;
No more to the field with our troops dost thou go.
From foes thou hast made us turn back with dismay,
And those who have hated us seize on the prey.
6 Like sheep to the slaughter, for meat we are given,
And widely dispersed 'midst the heathen are driven.
Thy people thou sellest for naught, and in vain,
Their price has returned thee no increase of gain.
7 Our name have our neighbors reproached in their pride,
They cease not around us to scoff and deride.
A bye-word and proverb 'midst heathen we're made;
Against us the people in scorn shake their head.
8 Before me I constantly see my disgrace,
And shame and confusion have covered my face;
For foes in revilings and slanders delight,
Their hearts full of hate and revengeful despite.
9 Though all these sore evils have been our sad lot,
Our God and his cov'nant we have not forgot.
Our heart turned not back, our feet have not strayed,
Though broken 'midst dragons, and clothed with death's shade.
10 If we have forgotten the name of our God,
Or unto some idol our hands spread abroad,
Shall not the Almighty, who sees all within,
And knows the heart's secrets, discover this sin?
11 Yea, all the day long for thy sake we're consumed
Like sheep for the slaughter to death we are doomed.
Awake, O Jehovah, and sleep thou no more;
Arise for our help, cast not off evermore.
12 O why hast thou hidden the light of thy face,
Forgetting bow enemies grieve and oppress?
Our soul's crushed to earth, and we cleave to its dust,
Rise, help, and redeem us, thy mercy we trust.
1 O God, we with our ears have heard,
Our fathers have us told
The works by thee in their days done,
Ev'n in the days of old;
2 How thy hand drove the heathen out,
To plant them in their land;
How thou the nations didst afflict,
And cast out by thy hand.
3 For neither got their sword the land,
Nor did their arm them save;
But thy right hand, arm, countenance:
Thy favor conquest gave.
4 Thou art my King; for Jacob, Lord,
Deliv'rances command.
Through thee we shall push down our
That do against us stand.
5 We through thy name shall tread down those
That ris'n against ns have:
For in my bow I will not trust,
Nor shall my sword me save.
6 But from our foes thou hast ns saved,
Our haters put to shame,
In God we all the day do boast,
And ever praise thy name.
7 But thou, O Lord, hast cast us off,
Thou hast us put to shame;
And when our armies do go forth.
Thou goest not with them.
8 Thou mak'st ns from the enemy,
Faint-hearted to turn back;
And they who hate us, for themselves,
Our spoils away do take.
9 Like sheep for meat thou gave'st us;
'Midst heathen cast are we.
Thou didst for naught thy people sell,
Their price enriched not thee.
10 Thou makest us a vile reproach
To all our neighbors near;
Derision and a scorn to them
That round about us are.
11 A by-word also thou dost us
Among the heathen make;
The people in contempt and spite
At us their heads do shake.
12 Before me my confusion great
Abides continually;
And of my bashful countenance
The shame doth cover me;
13 For voice of him that doth reproach,
And utter blasphemy:
By reason of th' avenging foe,
And cruel enemy.
14 All this is come onus; yet we
Have not forgotten thee;
Nor falsely in thy covenant
Behaved ourselves have we.
15 Back from thy way our heart turned not;
Our steps no straying made;
Though crushed by thee in dragons' place,
And covered with death's shade.
16 If we God's name forgot, or stretched
To some strange God our hands;
Shall God not search this out? For he
Heart's secrets understands.
17 Yea, for thy sake we're killed all day;
And deemed as slaughter-sheep.
Rise, Lord, cast us not ever off;
Awake, why dost thou sleep?
18 O wherefore dost thou hide thy face?
Forget our cause distressed,
And our oppression? For our soul
Down to the dust is pressed:
19 Our bodies also on the Earth,
Fast cleaving, hold do take.
Rise for our help, and us redeem,
Even for thy mercy's sake.
