(A special psalm by the clan of Korah and for the music leader.)
A Prayer for Help
1 Our God, our ancestors told us
what wonders you worked
and we listened carefully.
2 You chased off the nations
by causing them trouble
with your powerful arm.
Then you let our ancestors
take over their land.
3 Their strength and weapons
were not what won the land
and gave them victory!
You loved them and fought
with your powerful arm
and your shining glory.
4 You are my God and King,
and you give victory
to the people of Jacob.
5 By your great power,
we knocked our enemies down
and trampled on them.
6 I don't depend on my arrows
or my sword to save me.
7 But you saved us
from our hateful enemies,
and you put them to shame.
8 We boast about you, our God,
and we are always grateful.
9 But now you have rejected us;
you don't lead us into battle,
and we look foolish.
10 You made us retreat,
and our enemies have taken
everything we own.
11 You let us be slaughtered
like sheep,
and you scattered us
among the nations.
12 You sold your people
for little or nothing,
and you earned no profit.
13 You made us look foolish
to our neighbors;
people who live nearby
insult us and sneer.
14 Foreigners joke about us
and shake their heads.
15 I am embarrassed every day,
and I blush with shame.
16 But others mock and sneer,
as they watch my enemies
take revenge on me.
17 All this happened to us,
though we didn't forget you
or break our agreement.
18 We always kept you in mind
and followed your teaching.
19 But you crushed us,
and you covered us
with deepest darkness
where wild animals live.
20 We did not forget you
or lift our hands in prayer
to foreign gods.
21 You would have known it
because you discover
every secret thought.
22 We face death all day for you.
We are like sheep on their way
to be slaughtered.
23 Wake up! Do something, Lord!
Why are you sleeping?
Don't desert us forever.
24 Why do you keep looking away?
Don't forget our sufferings
and all our troubles.
25 We are flat on the ground,
holding on to the dust.
26 Do something! Help us!
Show how kind you are
and come to our rescue.
1 To him that excelleth. A Psalme to give instruction, committed to the sonnes of Korah. We haue heard with our eares, O God: our fathers haue tolde vs the workes, that thou hast done in their dayes, in the olde time: 2 Howe thou hast driuen out the heathen with thine hand, and planted them: how thou hast destroyed the people, and caused them to grow. 3 For they inherited not the lande by their owne sworde, neither did their owne arme saue them: but thy right hand, and thine arme and the light of thy countenance, because thou didest fauour them. 4 Thou art my King, O God: send helpe vnto Iaakob. 5 Through thee haue we thrust backe our aduersaries: by thy Name haue we troden downe them that rose vp against vs. 6 For I do not trust in my bowe, neither can my sworde saue me. 7 But thou hast saued vs from our aduersaries, and hast put them to confusion that hate vs. 8 Therefore will wee praise God continually, and will confesse thy Name for euer. Selah. 9 But now thou art farre off, and puttest vs to confusion, and goest not forth with our armies. 10 Thou makest vs to turne backe from the aduersary, and they, which hate vs, spoile for theselues. 11 Thou giuest vs as sheepe to bee eaten, and doest scatter vs among the nations. 12 Thou sellest thy people without gaine, and doest not increase their price. 13 Thou makest vs a reproche to our neighbours, a iest and a laughing stocke to them that are round about vs. 14 Thou makest vs a prouerbe among the nations, and a nodding of the head among the people. 15 My confusion is dayly before me, and the shame of my face hath couered me, 16 For the voyce of the slaunderer and rebuker, for the enemie and auenger. 17 All this is come vpon vs, yet doe wee not forget thee, neither deale wee falsly concerning thy couenant. 18 Our heart is not turned backe: neither our steps gone out of thy paths, 19 Albeit thou hast smitten vs downe into the place of dragons, and couered vs with the shadow of death. 20 If wee haue forgotten the Name of our God, and holden vp our hands to a strange god, 21 Shall not God searche this out? for hee knoweth the secrets of the heart. 22 Surely for thy sake are we slaine continually, and are counted as sheepe for the slaughter. 23 Vp, why sleepest thou, O Lord? awake, be not farre off for euer. 24 Wherefore hidest thou thy face? and forgettest our miserie and our affliction? 25 For our soule is beaten downe vnto the dust: our belly cleaueth vnto the ground. 26 Rise vp for our succour, and redeeme vs for thy mercies sake.