1[For the choir director; a [maskil] by Korah's descendants.] O God, we have heard it with our own ears. Our ancestors have told us about the miracle you performed in their day, in days long ago.

2By your power you forced nations [out of the land], but you planted our ancestors [there]. You shattered many groups of people, but you set our ancestors free.

3It was not with their swords that they took possession of the land. They did not gain victory with their own strength. It was your right hand, your arm, and the light of your presence [that did it], because you were pleased with them.

4You alone are my king, O God. You won those victories for Jacob.

5With you we can walk over our enemies. With your name we can trample those who attack us.

6I do not rely on my bow, and my sword will never save me.

7But you saved us from our enemies. You put to shame those who hate us.

8All day long we praise our God. We give thanks to you forever. [Selah]

9But now you have rejected and disgraced us. You do not even go along with our armies.

10You make us retreat from the enemy. Those who hate us rob us at will.

11You hand us over to be butchered like sheep and scatter us among the nations.

12You sell your people for almost nothing, and at that price you have gained nothing.

13You made us a disgrace to our neighbors and an object of ridicule and contempt to those around us.

14You made our [defeat] a proverb among the nations so that people shake their heads at us.

15All day long my disgrace is in front of me. Shame covers my face

16because of the words of those who insult and slander us, because of the presence of the enemy and the avenger.

17Although all of this happened to us, we never forgot you. We never ignored your promise.

18Our hearts never turned away. Our feet never left your path.

19Yet, you crushed us in a place for jackals and covered us with the shadow of death.

20If we forgot the name of our God or stretched out our hands to pray to another god,

21wouldn't God find out, since he knows the secrets in our hearts?

22Indeed, we are being killed all day long because of you. We are thought of as sheep to be slaughtered.

23Wake up! Why are you sleeping, O Lord? Awake! Do not reject us forever!

24Why do you hide your face? Why do you forget our suffering and misery?

25Our souls are bowing in the dust. Our bodies cling to the ground.

26Arise! Help us! Rescue us because of your mercy!