Psalm 44

W. van der Kamp, 1967

1. Our ears have heard it, God of glory;
   We marveled at our fathers’ story
   Of all Thy deeds in days of old.
   Thou didst up root the nations bold,
   But Thy own people Thou didst plant
   And Thou didst make them thrive and flourish,
   For not their sword did win the land,
   Nor did their arm make them victorious;
   
2. But Thy right hand, Thy arm so mighty,
   The radiance of Thy face that brightly
   Shines on the race of Thy delight.
   Thou art my King, my God, whose might
   No foes of Jacob can oppose.
   Thou art our God, Thou shalt not fail us;
   Through Thee we overwhelm our foes
   And trample down all who assail us.
   
3. I do not trust in bow or bravery,
   My sword will from defeat not save me,
   But Thou hast saved us from our foes,
   And them hast Thou beset with woes.
   Our boast was always in our God,
   And we shall thank Thy Name forever.
   Thy faithful love our songs will laud:
   Thy cov’nant stands and falters never.
   
4. Yet Thou hast cast off and abased us,
   In battle have our foes disgraced us.
   We go to war, but without Thee,
   And from our foes we shrink and flee.
   Our enemies spoil us with mirth;
   Thou madest us like sheep for slaughter,
   And hast dispersed us o’er the earth.
   O LORD, we are poured out like water.
   
5. O LORD, Thou dost no more uphold us,
   And for a trifle Thou hast sold us.
   Thou madest us our neighbors’ taunt,
   Who us with scorn and mockery haunt.
   O God, we are in this our fall
   A byword now among the nations,
   The laughingstock of peoples all,
   A shame among our generations.
   
6. O LORD, why are we thus forsaken?
   When shalt Thou to my help awaken?
   For all day long I know disgrace,
   And shame has covered, LORD, my face.
   By day and night I have to hear
   The voice of taunter and of scoffer;
   My foe and my avenger sneer
   And scorn and insult do they offer.
   
7. All this reviling, LORD, befell us,
   Though in Thy service we were zealous.
   True to Thy covenant are we
   And we have not forgotten Thee.
   Our heart turned not from Thy command,
   Our steps did from Thy ways not wander.
   But Thou hast crushed us by Thy hand
   And covered us with gloom and slander.
   
8. Had we the Name of God neglected
   And statues for strange gods erected,
   God would have seen it long ago.
   There are no thoughts He does not know.
   O LORD, for Thy sake we are slain;
   We are like sheep, prepared for slaughter,
   And all day long we call in vain;
   Thy haters ravish Zion’s daughter!
   
9. Why dost Thou sleep and hearest never?
   Wake up! Reject us not forever!
   LORD, rouse Thyself, hide not Thy face.
   Hast Thou forgotten our disgrace?
   Our soul is bowed down to the dust;
   We lie abased; why dost Thou break us?
   Rise up and help! In Thee we trust;
   Let not Thy steadfast love forsake us.