Gods gracious dealings

in the past and he

can do it again

For the director of music. A maskil of the Sons of Korah.

God, we have heard what you did.
Those who came before us have told us
what you did in their days,
in days long ago.

2 With your powerful hand you drove out the nations.
You settled our people in the land.
You crushed the people who were there.
And you made our people do well.

3 They didn’t win the land with their swords.
They didn’t gain success with their powerful arms.
Your powerful right hand and your mighty arm gave them success.
You looked on them with favor. You loved them.

4 You are my King and my God.
You give success to the people of Jacob.

5 With your help we push our enemies back.
By your power we walk all over them.

6 I don’t trust in my bow.
My sword doesn’t bring me success.

7 But you give us success over our enemies.
You put them to shame.

8 All day long we talk about how great God is.
We will praise your name forever.
Selah

9 But now you have turned your back on us and made us low.
You don’t march out with our armies anymore.

10 You made us turn and run from our enemies.
They have taken what belongs to us.

11 You handed us over to be eaten up like sheep.
You have scattered us among the nations.

12 You sold your people for very little.
You didn’t gain anything when you sold them.

13 You have made us something that our neighbors laugh at.
Those who live around us make fun of us and tease us.

14 The nations make jokes about us.
They shake their heads at us.

15 All day long I am reminded of my shame.
My face is covered with it

16 because of those who laugh at me and attack me with their words.
They want to get even with me.

17 All of this happened to us,
even though we had not forgotten you.
We had been true to the covenant you made with us.

18 Our hearts had not turned away from you.
Our feet had not wandered from your path.

19 But you crushed us and left us to the wild dogs.
You covered us over with deep darkness.

20 We didn’t forget our God.
We didn’t spread out our hands in prayer to a strange god.

21 If we had, God would have discovered it.
He knows the secrets of our hearts.

22 But because of you, we face death all day long.
We are considered as sheep to be killed.

23 Lord, wake up! Why are you sleeping?
Get up! Don’t say no to us forever.

24 Why do you turn your face away from us?
Why do you forget our pain and troubles?

25 We are brought down to the dust.
Our bodies lie flat on the ground.

26 Rise up and help us.
Save us because of your faithful love.