Add parallel Print Page Options

43 Judge me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation; deliver me from the deceitful and unrighteous man.

For thou art the God of my strength: why hast thou cast me off? why go I about mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?

Send out thy light and thy truth: *they* shall lead me, *they* shall bring me to thy holy mount, and unto thy habitations.

Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto the God of the gladness of my joy: yea, upon the harp will I praise thee, O God, my God.

Why art thou cast down, my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope in God; for I shall yet praise him, [who is] the health of my countenance, and my God.

To the chief Musician. Of the sons of Korah. An instruction.

44 O God, with our ears have we heard, our fathers have told us, the work thou wroughtest in their days, in the days of old:

Thou, by thy hand, didst dispossess the nations, but them thou didst plant; thou didst afflict the peoples, but them didst thou cause to spread out.

For not by their own sword did they take possession of the land, neither did their own arm save them; but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst delight in them.

Thou thyself art my king, O God: command deliverance for Jacob.

Through thee will we push down our adversaries; through thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us.

For I will not put confidence in my bow, neither shall my sword save me.

For thou hast saved us from our adversaries, and hast put them to shame that hate us.

In God will we boast all the day, and we will praise thy name for ever. Selah.

But thou hast cast off, and put us to confusion, and dost not go forth with our armies;

10 Thou hast made us to turn back from the adversary, and they that hate us spoil for themselves;

11 Thou hast given us over like sheep [appointed] for meat, and hast scattered us among the nations;

12 Thou hast sold thy people for nought, and hast not increased [thy wealth] by their price;

13 Thou makest us a reproach to our neighbours, a mockery and a derision for them that are round about us;

14 Thou makest us a byword among the nations, a shaking of the head among the peoples.

15 All the day my confusion is before me, and the shame of my face hath covered me,

16 Because of the voice of him that reproacheth and blasphemeth; by reason of the enemy and the avenger.

17 All this is come upon us; yet have we not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falsely against thy covenant:

18 Our heart is not turned back, neither have our steps declined from thy path;

19 Though thou hast crushed us in the place of jackals, and covered us with the shadow of death.

20 If we had forgotten the name of our God, and stretched out our hands to a strange god,

21 Would not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart.

22 But for thy sake are we killed all the day long; we are reckoned as sheep for slaughter.

23 Awake, why sleepest thou, 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 Rise up for our help, and redeem us for thy loving-kindness' sake.

To the chief Musician. Upon Shoshannim. Of the sons of Korah. An instruction;—a song of the Beloved.

45 My heart is welling forth [with] a good matter: I say what I have composed touching the king. My tongue is the pen of a ready writer.

Thou art fairer than the sons of men; grace is poured into thy lips: therefore God hath blessed thee for ever.

Gird thy sword upon [thy] thigh, O mighty one, [in] thy majesty and thy splendour;

And [in] thy splendour ride prosperously, because of truth and meekness [and] righteousness: and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things.

Thine arrows are sharp—peoples fall under thee—in the heart of the king's enemies.

Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever; a sceptre of uprightness is the sceptre of thy kingdom:

Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated wickedness; therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy companions.

Myrrh and aloes, cassia, are all thy garments; out of ivory palaces stringed instruments have made thee glad.

Kings' daughters are among thine honourable women; upon thy right hand doth stand the queen in gold of Ophir.

10 Hearken, daughter, and see, and incline thine ear; and forget thine own people and thy father's house:

11 And the king will desire thy beauty; for he is thy Lord, and worship thou him.

12 And the daughter of Tyre with a gift, the rich ones among the people, shall court thy favour.

13 All glorious is the king's daughter within; her clothing is of wrought gold:

14 She shall be brought unto the king in raiment of embroidery; the virgins behind her, her companions, shall be brought in unto thee:

15 With joy and gladness shall they be brought; they shall enter into the king's palace.

16 Instead of thy fathers shall be thy sons; princes shalt thou make them in all the earth.

17 I will make thy name to be remembered throughout all generations; therefore shall the peoples praise thee for ever and ever.

Psalm 43[a]

Vindicate me, my God,
    and plead my cause(A)
    against an unfaithful nation.
Rescue me(B) from those who are
    deceitful and wicked.(C)
You are God my stronghold.
    Why have you rejected(D) me?
Why must I go about mourning,(E)
    oppressed by the enemy?(F)
Send me your light(G) and your faithful care,(H)
    let them lead me;(I)
let them bring me to your holy mountain,(J)
    to the place where you dwell.(K)
Then I will go(L) to the altar(M) of God,
    to God, my joy(N) and my delight.(O)
I will praise you with the lyre,(P)
    O God, my God.

Why, my soul, are you downcast?
    Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
    for I will yet praise him,
    my Savior and my God.(Q)

Psalm 44[b]

For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A maskil.[c]

We have heard it with our ears,(R) O God;
    our ancestors have told us(S)
what you did in their days,
    in days long ago.(T)
With your hand you drove out(U) the nations
    and planted(V) our ancestors;
you crushed(W) the peoples
    and made our ancestors flourish.(X)
It was not by their sword(Y) that they won the land,
    nor did their arm bring them victory;
it was your right hand,(Z) your arm,(AA)
    and the light(AB) of your face, for you loved(AC) them.

You are my King(AD) and my God,(AE)
    who decrees[d] victories(AF) for Jacob.
Through you we push back(AG) our enemies;
    through your name we trample(AH) our foes.
I put no trust in my bow,(AI)
    my sword does not bring me victory;
but you give us victory(AJ) over our enemies,
    you put our adversaries to shame.(AK)
In God we make our boast(AL) all day long,(AM)
    and we will praise your name forever.[e](AN)

But now you have rejected(AO) and humbled us;(AP)
    you no longer go out with our armies.(AQ)
10 You made us retreat(AR) before the enemy,
    and our adversaries have plundered(AS) us.
11 You gave us up to be devoured like sheep(AT)
    and have scattered us among the nations.(AU)
12 You sold your people for a pittance,(AV)
    gaining nothing from their sale.

13 You have made us a reproach(AW) to our neighbors,(AX)
    the scorn(AY) and derision(AZ) of those around us.
14 You have made us a byword(BA) among the nations;
    the peoples shake their heads(BB) at us.
15 I live in disgrace(BC) all day long,
    and my face is covered with shame(BD)
16 at the taunts(BE) of those who reproach and revile(BF) me,
    because of the enemy, who is bent on revenge.(BG)

17 All this came upon us,
    though we had not forgotten(BH) you;
    we had not been false to your covenant.
18 Our hearts had not turned(BI) back;
    our feet had not strayed from your path.
19 But you crushed(BJ) us and made us a haunt for jackals;(BK)
    you covered us over with deep darkness.(BL)

20 If we had forgotten(BM) the name of our God
    or spread out our hands to a foreign god,(BN)
21 would not God have discovered it,
    since he knows the secrets of the heart?(BO)
22 Yet for your sake we face death all day long;
    we are considered as sheep(BP) to be slaughtered.(BQ)

23 Awake,(BR) Lord! Why do you sleep?(BS)
    Rouse yourself!(BT) Do not reject us forever.(BU)
24 Why do you hide your face(BV)
    and forget(BW) our misery and oppression?(BX)

25 We are brought down to the dust;(BY)
    our bodies cling to the ground.
26 Rise up(BZ) and help us;
    rescue(CA) us because of your unfailing love.(CB)

Psalm 45[f]

For the director of music. To the tune of “Lilies.” Of the Sons of Korah. A maskil.[g] A wedding song.(CC)

My heart is stirred by a noble theme
    as I recite my verses for the king;
    my tongue is the pen of a skillful writer.

You are the most excellent of men
    and your lips have been anointed with grace,(CD)
    since God has blessed you forever.(CE)

Gird your sword(CF) on your side, you mighty one;(CG)
    clothe yourself with splendor and majesty.(CH)
In your majesty ride forth victoriously(CI)
    in the cause of truth, humility and justice;(CJ)
    let your right hand(CK) achieve awesome deeds.(CL)
Let your sharp arrows(CM) pierce the hearts(CN) of the king’s enemies;(CO)
    let the nations fall beneath your feet.
Your throne, O God,[h] will last for ever and ever;(CP)
    a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.
You love righteousness(CQ) and hate wickedness;(CR)
    therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions
    by anointing(CS) you with the oil of joy.(CT)
All your robes are fragrant(CU) with myrrh(CV) and aloes(CW) and cassia;(CX)
    from palaces adorned with ivory(CY)
    the music of the strings(CZ) makes you glad.
Daughters of kings(DA) are among your honored women;
    at your right hand(DB) is the royal bride(DC) in gold of Ophir.(DD)

10 Listen, daughter,(DE) and pay careful attention:(DF)
    Forget your people(DG) and your father’s house.
11 Let the king be enthralled by your beauty;(DH)
    honor(DI) him, for he is your lord.(DJ)
12 The city of Tyre(DK) will come with a gift,[i](DL)
    people of wealth will seek your favor.
13 All glorious(DM) is the princess within her chamber;
    her gown is interwoven with gold.(DN)
14 In embroidered garments(DO) she is led to the king;(DP)
    her virgin companions(DQ) follow her—
    those brought to be with her.
15 Led in with joy and gladness,(DR)
    they enter the palace of the king.

16 Your sons will take the place of your fathers;
    you will make them princes(DS) throughout the land.

17 I will perpetuate your memory through all generations;(DT)
    therefore the nations will praise you(DU) for ever and ever.(DV)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 43:1 In many Hebrew manuscripts Psalms 42 and 43 constitute one psalm.
  2. Psalm 44:1 In Hebrew texts 44:1-26 is numbered 44:2-27.
  3. Psalm 44:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
  4. Psalm 44:4 Septuagint, Aquila and Syriac; Hebrew King, O God; / command
  5. Psalm 44:8 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.
  6. Psalm 45:1 In Hebrew texts 45:1-17 is numbered 45:2-18.
  7. Psalm 45:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
  8. Psalm 45:6 Here the king is addressed as God’s representative.
  9. Psalm 45:12 Or A Tyrian robe is among the gifts