| Chapter 44 |
1 | To the chief music-maker. Of the sons of Korah Maschil.
It has come to our ears, O God, our fathers have given us the story, of the works which you did in their days, in the old times,
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2 | Uprooting the nations with your hand, and planting our fathers in their place; cutting down the nations, but increasing the growth of your people.
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3 | For they did not make the land theirs by their swords, and it was not their arms which kept them safe; but your right hand, and your arm, and the light of your face, because you had pleasure in them.
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4 | You are my King and my God; ordering salvation for Jacob.
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5 | Through you will we overcome our haters; by your name will they be crushed under our feet who are violent against us.
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6 | I will not put faith in my bow, my sword will not be my salvation.
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7 | But it is you who have been our saviour from those who were against us, and have put to shame those who had hate for us.
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8 | Our pride is in God at all times, to his name we give praise for ever. (Selah.)
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9 | But now you have sent us away from you, and put us to shame; you do not go out with our armies.
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10 | Because of this we are turned back by the attacker: those who have hate for us take our goods for themselves.
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11 | You have made us like sheep which are taken for meat; we are put to flight among the nations.
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12 | You let your people go for nothing; your wealth is not increased by their price.
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13 | You have made us to be looked down on by our neighbours, we are laughed at and shamed by those who are round about us.
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14 | Our name is a word of shame among the nations, a sign for the shaking of heads among the peoples.
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15 | My downfall is ever before me, and I am covered with the shame of my face;
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16 | Because of the voice of him who says sharp and bitter words; because of the hater and him who is the instrument of punishment.
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17 | All this has come on us, but still we have kept you in our memory; and we have not been false to your word.
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18 | Our hearts have not gone back, and our steps have not been turned out of your way;
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19 | Though you have let us be crushed in the place of jackals, though we are covered with darkest shade.
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20 | If the name of our God has gone out of our minds, or if our hands have been stretched out to a strange god,
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21 | Will not God make search for it? for he sees the secrets of the heart.
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22 | Truly, because of you we are put to death every day; we are numbered like sheep for destruction.
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23 | Why are you sleeping, O Lord? awake! and come to our help, do not give us up for ever.
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24 | Why is your face covered, and why do you give no thought to our trouble and our cruel fate?
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25 | For our souls are crushed down to the dust: our bodies are stretched out on the earth.
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26 | Up! and come to our help, and give us salvation because of your mercy.
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