Psalms 44 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.

God, we've heard it with our own ears — our ancestors told us the story of what you did in their days, in the ancient times.

With your own hand you drove out nations and planted our people instead; you crushed peoples and made room for us to spread.

It wasn't their swords that won the land, it wasn't their own strength that saved them — it was your right hand, your arm, the light of your face, because you were good to them.

You are my King, God — command victories for Jacob's people.

Through you we push back our enemies; through your name we trample those who rise against us.

I don't trust my bow; my sword won't save me.

But you—you save us from our enemies; you put to shame everyone who hates us.

In God we boast all day long, and we will praise your name forever. Selah.

But now — you've rejected us, humiliated us. You no longer march out with our armies.

You made us retreat before the enemy, and those who hate us plunder us at will.

You handed us over like sheep to be slaughtered, scattered us among the nations.

You sold your people for nothing — you didn't even profit from the deal.

You made us a joke to our neighbors, mocked and ridiculed by everyone around us.

You made us a punchline among the nations, people shake their heads at us.

All day long my disgrace stares me in the face, and shame covers me completely —

because of the voice of the one who taunts and insults, because of the enemy bent on revenge.

All of this crashed down on us, but we never forgot you. We never betrayed your covenant.

Our hearts never turned away; our feet never strayed from your path.

Yet you crushed us in a place of jackals and covered us in deep darkness.

If we had forgotten the name of our God or stretched out our hands to a foreign god —

wouldn't God find out? He knows every secret of the heart.

Yet for your sake we face death all day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter.

Wake up! Why are you sleeping, Lord? Get up! Don't reject us forever.

Why do you hide your face? Why do you forget our suffering and oppression?

We are face down in the dust; our bodies pressed to the ground.

Rise up — come help us! Rescue us because of your faithful love.