Israel’s Complaint
For the choir director. A Maskil of the sons of Korah.
1 God, we have heard with our ears —
our ancestors have told us —
the work you accomplished in their days,
in days long ago: 44:1 Dt 32:7; Ps 78:3
2 In order to plant them,
you displaced the nations by your hand;
in order to settle them,
you brought disaster on the peoples. 44:2 2Sm 7:10; Ps 78:55; 80:8
3 For they did not take the land by their sword —
their arm did not bring them victory —
but by your right hand, your arm,
and the light of your face, 44:3 Nm 6:25
because you were favorable toward them. 44:3 Dt 7:7–8; Ps 77:15; Hs 1:7
4 You are my King, my God,
who ordains 44:4 LXX, Syr, Aq; MT reads King, God; ordain victories for Jacob. 44:4 Ps 42:8; 74:12
5 Through you we drive back our foes;
through your name we trample our enemies. 44:5 Ps 60:12; 108:13; Zch 10:5
6 For I do not trust in my bow,
and my sword does not bring me victory. 44:6 1Sm 17:47; Ps 33:16
7 But you give us victory over our foes
and let those who hate us be disgraced. 44:7 Ps 35:4; 53:5
8 We boast in God all day long; 44:8 Ps 34:2
we will praise your name forever. 44:8 Ps 30:12; 34:2Selah
9 But you have rejected and humiliated us;
you do not march out with our armies. 44:9 Ps 60:1,10; 74:1; 108:11
10 You make us retreat from the foe,
and those who hate us
have taken plunder for themselves. 44:10 Lv 26:17; Dt 28:25; Jos 7:8,12
11 You hand us over to be eaten like sheep
and scatter us among the nations. 44:11 Lv 26:33; Dt 4:27; 28:64; Ps 106:27
12 You sell your people for nothing;
you make no profit from selling them. 44:12 Dt 32:30; Jdg 2:14; 3:8; Is 52:3–4
13 You make us an object of reproach to our neighbors,
a source of mockery and ridicule to those around us. 44:13 Dt 28:37; Ps 79:4
14 You make us a joke among the nations,
a laughingstock 44:14 Lit shaking of the head among the peoples. 44:14 Jb 17:6; Ps 109:25; Jr 24:9
15 My disgrace is before me all day long,
and shame has covered my face, 44:15 2Ch 32:21; Ps 69:7
16 because of the taunts 44:16 Lit voice of the scorner and reviler,
because of the enemy and avenger. 44:16 Ps 8:2; 74:10
17 All this has happened to us,
but we have not forgotten you
or betrayed your covenant. 44:17 Ps 119:61,153
18 Our hearts have not turned back;
our steps have not strayed from your path. 44:18 Jb 23:11; Ps 37:31; 119:51,157
19 But you have crushed us in a haunt of jackals
and have covered us with deepest darkness. 44:19 Jb 30:29; Jr 9:11
20 If we had forgotten the name of our God
and spread out our hands to a foreign god, 44:20 Dt 6:14; Jb 11:13
21 wouldn’t God have found this out,
since he knows the secrets of the heart? 44:21 Ps 139:1–2; Jr 17:10; Heb 4:13
22 Because of you we are being put to death all day long;
we are counted as sheep to be slaughtered. 44:22 Is 53:7; Jr 12:3; Rm 8:36
23 Wake up, Lord! Why are you sleeping?
Get up! Don’t reject us forever! 44:23 Ps 7:6; 35:23; 78:65
24 Why do you hide
and forget our affliction and oppression? 44:24 Jb 13:24; Ps 88:14
25 For we have sunk down to the dust;
our bodies cling to the ground. 44:25 Ps 119:25
26 Rise up! Help us!
Redeem us because of your faithful love. 44:26 Ps 25:22