1 {To the Chanter, an instruction of the sons of Korah} We have heard with our ears, O God; our fathers have told us what thou hast done in their time of old. 2 How thou hast driven out the Heathen with thy hand, and planted them in; how thou hast destroyed the nations and cast them out. 3 For they got not the land in possession through their own sword, neither was it their own arm that helped them - But thy righthand, thine arm and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour unto them.
4 Thou art my King, O God; send help unto Jacob. 5 Through thee will we overthrow our enemies, and in thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us. 6 For I will not trust in my bow; it is not my sword that shall help me. 7 But it is thou that savest us from our enemies, and puttest them to confusion that hate us. 8 We make our boast of God all day long, and will praise thy Name forever. Selah.
9 But now thou art far off, and puttest us to confusion, and goest not forth with our armies. 10 Thou makest us to turn our backs upon our enemies, so that they which hate us spoil our goods. 11 Thou lettest us be eaten up like sheep, and scatterest us among the Heathen. 12 Thou sellest thy people for naught, and takest no money for them. 13 Thou makest us to be rebuked of our neighbours, to be laughed to scorn and had in derision of them that are round about us. 14 Thou makest us to be a byword among the Heathen, and that the people shake their heads at us. 15 My confusion is daily before me, and the shame of my face hath covered me, 16 for the voice of the slanderer and blasphemer, for the enemy and avenger.
17 And though all this be come upon us, yet do we not forget thee, nor behave ourselves unfaithfully in thy covenant. 18 Our heart is not turned back, neither our steps gone out of thy way, 19 no, not when thou hast smitten us into the place of dragons, and covered us with the shadow of death 20 If we have forgotten the name of our God, and hold up our hands to any strange god, 21 should not God find it out? For he knoweth the very secrets of the heart. 22 For thy sake also we are killed all the day long, and are counted as sheep appointed to be slain.
23 Arise, LORD! Why sleepest thou? Awake, and be not absent from us forever. 24 Wherefore hidest thou thy face? Wilt thou clean forget our misery and oppression? 25 For our soul is brought low, even unto the dust; and our belly cleaveth unto the ground. 26 Arise, O LORD, and help us; and deliver us for thy mercy's sake.