Redemption Remembered in Present Dishonor

To the Chief Musician. A (A)Contemplation[a] of the sons of Korah.

44 We have heard with our ears, O God,
(B)Our fathers have told us,
The deeds You did in their days,
In days of old:
(C)You drove out the [b]nations with Your hand,
But them You planted;
You afflicted the peoples, and cast them out.
For (D)they did not gain possession of the land by their own sword,
Nor did their own arm save them;
But it was Your right hand, Your arm, and the light of Your countenance,
(E)Because You favored them.

(F)You are my King, [c]O God;
[d]Command victories for Jacob.
Through You (G)we will push down our enemies;
Through Your name we will trample those who rise up against us.
For (H)I will not trust in my bow,
Nor shall my sword save me.
But You have saved us from our enemies,
And have put to shame those who hated us.
(I)In God we boast all day long,
And praise Your name forever. Selah

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 44:1 Heb. Maschil
  2. Psalm 44:2 Gentiles, heathen
  3. Psalm 44:4 So with MT, Tg.; LXX, Vg. and my God
  4. Psalm 44:4 So with MT, Tg.; LXX, Syr., Vg. Who commands

Psalm 44[a]

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

We have heard it with our ears,(A) O God;
    our ancestors have told us(B)
what you did in their days,
    in days long ago.(C)
With your hand you drove out(D) the nations
    and planted(E) our ancestors;
you crushed(F) the peoples
    and made our ancestors flourish.(G)
It was not by their sword(H) that they won the land,
    nor did their arm bring them victory;
it was your right hand,(I) your arm,(J)
    and the light(K) of your face, for you loved(L) them.

You are my King(M) and my God,(N)
    who decrees[c] victories(O) for Jacob.
Through you we push back(P) our enemies;
    through your name we trample(Q) our foes.
I put no trust in my bow,(R)
    my sword does not bring me victory;
but you give us victory(S) over our enemies,
    you put our adversaries to shame.(T)
In God we make our boast(U) all day long,(V)
    and we will praise your name forever.[d](W)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 44:1 In Hebrew texts 44:1-26 is numbered 44:2-27.
  2. Psalm 44:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
  3. Psalm 44:4 Septuagint, Aquila and Syriac; Hebrew King, O God; / command
  4. Psalm 44:8 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.