Chapter 43

  Unto the end, for the sons of Core, to give understanding.  

  We have heard, O God, with our ears : our fathers have declared to us, The work, thou hast wrought in their days, and in the days of old.  

  Thy hand destroyed the Gentiles, and thou plantedst them : thou didst afflict the people and cast them out.  

  For they got not the possession of the land by their own sword : neither did their own arm save them. But thy right hand and thy arm, and the light of thy countenance : because thou wast pleased with them.  

  Thou art thyself my king and my God, who commandest the saving of Jacob.  

  Through thee we will push down our enemies with the horn : and through thy name we will despise them that rise up against us.  

  For I will not trust in my bow : neither shall my sword save me.  

  But thou hast saved us from them that afflict us : and hast put them to shame that hate us.  

  In God shall we glory all the day long : and in thy name we will give praise for ever.  

  But now thou hast cast us off, and put us to shame : and thou, O God, wilt not go out with our armies.  

  Thou hast made us turn our back to our enemies : and they that hated us plundered for themselves.  

  Thou hast given us up like sheep to be eaten : thou hast scattered us among the nations.  

  Thou hast sold thy people for no price : and there was no reckoning in the exchange of them.  

  Thou hast made us a reproach to our neighbours, a scoff and derision to them that are round about us.  

  Thou hast made us a byword among the Gentiles : a shaking of the head among the people.  

  All the day long my shame is before me : and the confusion of my face hath covered me,  

  At the voice of him that reproacheth and detracteth me : at the face of the enemy and persecutor.  

  All these things have come upon us, yet we have not forgotten thee : and we have not done wickedly in they covenant.  

  And our heart hath not turned back : neither hast thou turned aside our steps from thy way.  

  For thou hast humbled us in the place of affliction : and the shadow of death hath covered us.  

  If we have forgotten the name of our God, and if we have spread forth our hands to a strange god :  

  Shall not God search out these things : for he knoweth the secrets of the heart. Because for thy sake we are killed all the day long : we are counted as sheep for the slaughter.  

  Arise, why sleepest thou, O Lord? arise, and cast us not off to the end.  

  Why turnest thou face away? and forgettest our want and our trouble?  

  For our soul is humbled down to the dust : our belly cleaveth to the earth.  

  Arise, O Lord, help us and redeem us for thy name's sake.