1 W e have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, what work thou didst in their days, in the times of old.

O God, with our ears have we heard, our fathers have told us, the work thou wroughtest in their days, in the days of old:

2 H ow thou didst drive out the heathen with thy hand, and plantedst them; how thou didst afflict the people, and cast them out.

Thou, by thy hand, didst dispossess the nations, but them thou didst plant; thou didst afflict the peoples, but them didst thou cause to spread out.

3 F or they got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them: but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour unto them.

For not by their own sword did they take possession of the land, neither did their own arm save them; but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst delight in them.

4 T hou art my King, O God: command deliverances for Jacob.

Thou thyself art my king, O God: command deliverance for Jacob.

5 T hrough thee will we push down our enemies: through thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us.

Through thee will we push down our adversaries; through thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us.

6 F or I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me.

For I will not put confidence in my bow, neither shall my sword save me.

7 B ut thou hast saved us from our enemies, and hast put them to shame that hated us.

For thou hast saved us from our adversaries, and hast put them to shame that hate us.

8 I n God we boast all the day long, and praise thy name for ever. Selah.

In God will we boast all the day, and we will praise thy name for ever. Selah.

9 B ut thou hast cast off, and put us to shame; and goest not forth with our armies.

But thou hast cast off, and put us to confusion, and dost not go forth with our armies;

10 T hou makest us to turn back from the enemy: and they which hate us spoil for themselves.

Thou hast made us to turn back from the adversary, and they that hate us spoil for themselves;

11 T hou hast given us like sheep appointed for meat; and hast scattered us among the heathen.

Thou hast given us over like sheep for meat, and hast scattered us among the nations;

12 T hou sellest thy people for nought, and dost not increase thy wealth by their price.

Thou hast sold thy people for nought, and hast not increased by their price;

13 T hou makest us a reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and a derision to them that are round about us.

Thou makest us a reproach to our neighbours, a mockery and a derision for them that are round about us;

14 T hou makest us a byword among the heathen, a shaking of the head among the people.

Thou makest us a byword among the nations, a shaking of the head among the peoples.

15 M y confusion is continually before me, and the shame of my face hath covered me,

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

16 f or the voice of him that reproacheth and blasphemeth; by reason of the enemy and avenger.

Because of the voice of him that reproacheth and blasphemeth; by reason of the enemy and the avenger.

17 A ll this is come upon us; yet have we not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falsely in thy covenant.

All this is come upon us; yet have we not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falsely against thy covenant:

18 O ur heart is not turned back, neither have our steps declined from thy way;

Our heart is not turned back, neither have our steps declined from thy path;

19 t hough thou hast sore broken us in the place of dragons, and covered us with the shadow of death.

Though thou hast crushed us in the place of jackals, and covered us with the shadow of death.

20 I f we have forgotten the name of our God, or stretched out our hands to a strange god;

If we had forgotten the name of our God, and stretched out our hands to a strange god,

21 s hall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart.

Would not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart.

22 Y ea, for thy sake are we killed all the day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter.

But for thy sake are we killed all the day long; we are reckoned as sheep for slaughter.

23 A wake, why sleepest thou, O Lord? arise, cast us not off for ever.

Awake, why sleepest thou, Lord? arise, cast not off for ever.

24 W herefore hidest thou thy face, and forgettest our affliction and our oppression?

Wherefore hidest thou thy face, forgettest our affliction and our oppression?

25 F or our soul is bowed down to the dust: our belly cleaveth unto the earth.

For our soul is bowed down to the dust; our belly cleaveth unto the earth.

26 A rise for our help, and redeem us for thy mercies’ sake.

Rise up for our help, and redeem us for thy loving-kindness' sake.