Psalm 44

   1  O God, we with our ears have heard,
         our fathers have us told,
      What works thou in their days hadst done,
         ev'n in the days of old.

   2  Thy hand did drive the heathen out,
         and plant them in their place;
      Thou didst afflict the nations,
         but them thou didst increase.

   3  For neither got their sword the land,
         nor did their arm them save;
      But thy right hand, arm, countenance;
         for thou them favor gave.

   4  Thou art my King: for Jacob, Lord,
         deliv'rances command.
   5  Through thee we shall push down our foes,
         that do against us stand:

      We, through thy name, shall tread down those
         that ris'n against us have.
   6  For in my bow I shall not trust,
         nor shall my sword me save.

   7  But from our foes thou hast us saved,
         our haters put to shame.
   8  In God we all the day do boast,
         and ever praise thy name.

   9  But now we are cast off by thee,
         and us thou putt'st to shame;
      And when our armies do go forth,
            thou go'st not with the same.

  10  Thou mak'st us from the enemy,
         faint-hearted, to turn back;
      And they who hate us for themselves
         our spoils away do take.

  11  Like sheep for meat thou gavest us;
         'mong heathen cast we be.
  12  Thou didst for nought thy people sell;
         their price enrich'd not thee.

  13  Thou mak'st us a reproach to be
         unto our neighbors near;
      Derision and a scorn to them
         that round about us are.

  14  A by-word also thou dost us
         among the heathen make;
      The people, in contempt and spite,
         at us their heads do shake.

  15  Before me my confusion
         continually abides;
      And of my bashful countenance
         the shame me ever hides:

  16  For voice of him that doth reproach,
         and speaketh blasphemy;
      By reason of th' avenging foe,
         and cruel enemy.

  17  All this is come on us, yet we
         have not forgotten thee;
      Nor falsely in thy covenant
         behaved ourselves have we.

18  Back from thy way our heart not turned;
         our steps no straying made;
  19  Though us thou brak'st in dragons' place,
         and cover'dst with death's shade.

  20  If we God's name forgot, or stretched
         to a strange god our hands,
  21  Shall not God search this out? for he
         heart's secrets understands.

  22  Yea, for thy sake we're killed all day,
         counted as slaughter-sheep.
  23  Rise, Lord, cast us not ever off;
         awake, why dost thou sleep?

  24  O wherefore hidest thou thy face?
         forgett'st our cause distressed,
  25  And our oppression? For our soul
         is to the dust down pressed:

      Our belly also on the earth
         fast cleaving, hold doth take.
  26  Rise for our help, and us redeem,
         ev'n for thy mercies' sake.