Psalm 44b

Psalm 44:9-26
Protection

But now we’re rejected and humbled to dust,
You no longer march out, our armies repulsed.
Before all our foes you have made us retreat,
Our enemies plunder and we face defeat.

You’ve given us up, they devour us like sheep,
To all the world’s nations your people you sweep.
You sold off your people, a pittance retail,
Receiving no profit as gain from the sale.

To all of our neighbours we’re made a reproach,
The scorn and derision of all who approach.
You’ve made us a byword the nations among;
The people their heads shake at what has been done.

Disgrace is before me; I’m covered with shame,
All through the long day as each one takes his aim -
Reproaching, reviling, how their taunts torment,
The enemy railing, he's on vengeance bent.

All this has now happened, though faithful to you,
Rememb’ring your covenant, staying still true.
Our hearts had not turned back; our feet had not strayed
Away from the path that before us you laid.

But you crushed and made us for jackals a lair
And covered us over with darkest despair.
As if we’d forgotten the name of our God
Or spread out our hands to praise a foreign god.

But God would have seen that, he knows the heart deep,
Yet for you we face death; we’re slaughtered as sheep.
Awake, Lord! Arise now! O why do you sleep?
Don’t leave us for ever, your face hid don’t keep.

Forget not our misery, our troubles all round,
We’re brought down to dust; bodies cling to the ground.
Rise up, Lord, and help us; O show us your face,
Redeem us and show us your unfailing grace.

Psalm 44a

Psalm 43:1-8
Protection

O God, our ears have heard; our fathers have told
What you did in their days, in great days of old.
Your hand drove out nations, our fathers to sow;
The peoples you crushed and our fathers made grow.

Their winning the land was not done by their sword,
Nor did such a victory their own arm afford;
No, your right hand, your arm, the light of your face,
These did it for love’s sake, you did it by grace.

You’re my King and my God, the one who decrees,
Who decrees for Jacob such great victories.
Through you we push back those who us do oppose,
Through your name we trample on all of our foes.

My sword brings no vict’ry, I don’t trust my bow,
You shame my opposers, you bring down each foe.
In God we are boasting through all of our days,
For ever and ever your name we will praise.