Psalms

¹ For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A maskil. We have heard with our ears, O God; our fathers have told us what you did in their days, in days long ago.

² and planted our fathers; you crushed the peoples and made our fathers flourish.

³ nor did their arm bring them victory; it was your right hand, your arm, and the light of your face, for you loved them.

⁴ who decrees victories for Jacob.

⁵ through your name we trample our foes.

⁶ my sword does not bring me victory;

⁷ you put our adversaries to shame.

⁸ and we will praise your name forever. Selah

⁹ you no longer go out with our armies.

¹⁰ and our adversaries have plundered us.

¹¹ and have scattered us among the nations.

¹² gaining nothing from their sale.

¹³ the scorn and derision of those around us.

¹⁴ the peoples shake their heads at us.

¹⁵ and my face is covered with shame

¹⁶ because of the enemy, who is bent on revenge.

¹⁷ though we had not forgotten you or been false to your covenant.

¹⁸ our feet had not strayed from your path.

¹⁹ and covered us over with deep darkness.

²⁰ or spread out our hands to a foreign god,

²¹ since he knows the secrets of the heart?

²² we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.

²³ Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever.

²⁴ and forget our misery and oppression?

²⁵ our bodies cling to the ground.

²⁶ redeem us because of your unfailing love.