To the chief Musician for the sons of Korah , Maschil .
1 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 .