For the leader. A maskil of the Korahites.

God, we have heard with our own ears; our ancestors have told us The deeds you did in their days, with your own hand in days of old: You rooted out nations to plant them, crushed peoples to make room for them.

Not with their own swords did they conquer the land, nor did their own arms bring victory; It was your right hand, your own arm, the light of your face for you favored them.

You are my king and my God, who bestows victories on Jacob.

Through you we batter our foes; through your name, trample our adversaries.

Not in my bow do I trust, nor does my sword bring me victory.

You have brought us victory over our enemies, shamed those who hate us.

In God we have boasted all the day long; your name we will praise forever.

But now you have rejected and disgraced us; you do not march out with our armies.

You make us retreat before the foe; those who hate us plunder us at will.

You hand us over like sheep to be slaughtered, scatter us among the nations.

You sell your people for nothing; you make no profit from their sale.

You make us the reproach of our neighbors, the mockery and scorn of those around us.

You make us a byword among the nations; the peoples shake their heads at us.

All day long my disgrace is before me; shame has covered my face at the sound of those who taunt and revile, at the sight of the spiteful enemy.

All this has come upon us, though we have not forgotten you, nor been disloyal to your covenant.

Our hearts have not turned back, nor have our steps strayed from your path.

Yet you have left us crushed, desolate in a place of jackals; you have covered us with darkness.

If we had forgotten the name of our God, stretched out our hands to another god, would not God have discovered this, God who knows the secrets of the heart?

For you we are slain all the day long, considered only as sheep to be slaughtered.

Awake! Why do you sleep, O Lord?

Rise up! Do not reject us forever!

Why do you hide your face; why forget our pain and misery?

We are bowed down to the ground; our bodies are pressed to the earth.

Rise up, help us!

Redeem us as your love demands.

RETURN TO HOME PAGE