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(A special psalm by the clan of Korah and for the music leader.)

A Prayer for Help

Our God, our ancestors told us
what wonders you worked
    and we listened carefully.
You chased off the nations
by causing them trouble
    with your powerful arm.
Then you let our ancestors
    take over their land.
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.

You are my God and King,
and you give victory[a]
    to the people of Jacob.
By your great power,
we knocked our enemies down
    and trampled on them.
I don't depend on my arrows
    or my sword to save me.
But you saved us
from our hateful enemies,
    and you put them to shame.
We boast about you, our God,
    and we are always grateful.

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 (A) 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.

Footnotes

  1. 44.4 and … victory: One ancient translation; Hebrew “please give victory.”

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