Evening Psalm

Psalm 44 

¹ We have heard with our ears, O God,
our forefathers have told us, *
the deeds you did in their days,
in the days of old.
² How with your hand you drove the peoples out
and planted our forefathers in the land; *
how you destroyed nations and made your people flourish.
³ For they did not take the land by their sword,
nor did their arm win the victory for them; *
but your right hand, your arm, and the light of your countenance,
because you favored them.
⁴ You are my King and my God; *
you command victories for Jacob.
⁵ Through you we pushed back our adversaries; *
through your Name we trampled on those who rose up against us.
⁶ For I do not rely on my bow, *
and my sword does not give me the victory.
⁷ Surely, you gave us victory over our adversaries *
and put those who hate us to shame.
⁸ Every day we gloried in God, *
and we will praise your Name for ever.
⁹ Nevertheless, you have rejected and humbled us *
and do not go forth with our armies.
¹⁰ You have made us fall back before our adversary, *
and our enemies have plundered us.
¹¹ You have made us like sheep to be eaten *
and have scattered us among the nations.
¹² You are selling your people for a trifle *
and are making no profit on the sale of them.
¹³ You have made us the scorn of our neighbors, *
a mockery and derision to those around us.
¹⁴ You have made us a byword among the nations, *
a laughing-stock among the peoples.
¹⁵ My humiliation is daily before me, *
and shame has covered my face;
¹⁶ Because of the taunts of the mockers and blasphemers, *
because of the enemy and avenger.
¹⁷ All this has come upon us; *
yet we have not forgotten you,
nor have we betrayed your covenant.
¹⁸ Our heart never turned back, *
nor did our footsteps stray from your path;
¹⁹ Though you thrust us down into a place of misery, *
and covered us over with deep darkness.
²⁰ If we have forgotten the Name of our God, *
or stretched out our hands to some strange god,
²¹ Will not God find it out? *
for he knows the secrets of the heart.
²² Indeed, for your sake we are killed all the day long; *
we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
²³ Awake, O Lord! why are you sleeping? *
Arise! do not reject us for ever.
²⁴ Why have you hidden your face *
and forgotten our affliction and oppression?
²⁵ We sink down into the dust; *
our body cleaves to the ground.
²⁶ Rise up, and help us, *
and save us, for the sake of your steadfast love.