Psalms

A collection of songs and prayers expressing a wide range of emotions and thoughts on faith.

Chapter 44

1 We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, what work thou didst in their days, in the times of old.

*We have listened, God, our ancestors shared stories about what you did long ago.

2 How thou didst drive out the heathen with thy hand, and plantedst them; how thou didst afflict the people, and cast them out.

*How you removed the non-believers using your power and settled them; how you punished the people and expelled them.

3 For they got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them: but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour unto them.

*They didn't get the land by fighting themselves; their strength didn't save them. Instead, it was God's powerful hand, His strength, and His shining presence that helped them because He liked them.

4 Thou art my King, O God: command deliverances for Jacob.

*You are my King, God: give victories for the people of Jacob.

5 Through thee will we push down our enemies: through thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us.

*"Through you, we will defeat our opponents; using your name, we will crush those who fight against us."

6 For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me.

*I won't rely on my bow or sword for protection.

7 But thou hast saved us from our enemies, and hast put them to shame that hated us.

*But you have rescued us from those who wanted to harm us and made them feel embarrassed.

8 In God we boast all the day long, and praise thy name for ever. Selah.

*We brag about God every day and always give him credit. That's it. Selah.

9 But thou hast cast off, and put us to shame; and goest not forth with our armies.

*But you left us and made us feel embarrassed; you don't join our armies either.

10 Thou makest us to turn back from the enemy: and they which hate us spoil for themselves.

*You make us turn away from our enemies, and those who hate us destroy themselves.

11 Thou hast given us like sheep appointed for meat; and hast scattered us among the heathen.

*You have given us, like sheep chosen for food, and spread us among non-believers.

12 Thou sellest thy people for nought, and dost not increase thy wealth by their price.

*You sell your people for nothing, but you don't make your wealth grow with their value.

13 Thou makest us a reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and a derision to them that are round about us.

*You make us a laughingstock to our neighbors, a disgrace and mockery to those around us.

14 Thou makest us a byword among the heathen, a shaking of the head among the people.

*You make us a joke or a topic of mocking among non-believers, a head shake among the people.

15 My confusion is continually before me, and the shame of my face hath covered me,

*I'm always confused, and I feel ashamed, so my face is hidden.

16 For the voice of him that reproacheth and blasphemeth; by reason of the enemy and avenger.

*For the voice of one criticizing and insulting, because of the opponent and punisher.

17 All this is come upon us; yet have we not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falsely in thy covenant.

*All these events happened to us, but we haven't forgotten about you. We've been honest in our agreement with you.

18 Our heart is not turned back, neither have our steps declined from thy way;

*Our heart stays focused, and we don't go back from your path.

19 Though thou hast sore broken us in the place of dragons, and covered us with the shadow of death.

*Even though you have severely hurt us in the land of dragons and shrouded us in the shadow of death.

20 If we have forgotten the name of our God, or stretched out our hands to a strange god;

*If we've forgotten our God's name or reached out to a different god.

21 Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart.

*Will God look into this? because he knows the heart's hidden things.

22 Yea, for thy sake are we killed all the day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter.

*Yes, we are often killed because of you; we are considered like sheep being led to slaughter.

23 Awake, why sleepest thou, O Lord? arise, cast us not off for ever.

*Wake up, Lord! Why are you sleeping? Get up and don't abandon us forever.

24 Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and forgettest our affliction and our oppression?

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

25 For our soul is bowed down to the dust: our belly cleaveth unto the earth.

*Our souls feel very heavy, like we're pressed into the ground; our stomachs are so close to the earth.

26 Arise for our help, and redeem us for thy mercies’ sake.

*Stand up to help us, and save us because of your kindness.

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