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For the Chief Musician. By the sons of Korach [Bald one, Frost]. (See Num 16). A maskil ·instructional wisdom psalm·.
Context: After the first loss at Ai, contemplation of God’s might in removing Israel from Egypt and Moses’ exhortation at Mount Gerival. (Josh 7:1-13; Deut 27-32)
1 We have sh'ma ·heard obeyed· with our ears, God;
our fathers have told us,
what work you did in their days,
in the days of old.
2 You drove out the nations with your hand,
but you planted them.
You afflicted the peoples,
but you spread them abroad.
3 For they didn’t get the land in possession by their own sword,
neither did their own arm save them;
but your right hand, and your arm, and the light of your face,
because you were favorable to them.
4 You are my King, God.
Enjoin yishu'ah ·deliverance· for Jacob [Supplanter]!
5 Through you, will we push down our adversaries.
Through your name, will we tread them under who rise up against us.
6 For I will not trust in my bow,
neither shall my sword save me.
7 But you have saved us from our adversaries,
and have shamed those who hate us.
8 In God we have made our boast all day long,
we will yadah ·extend hands in thankful praise· to your name forever.
Selah ·contemplation with musical interlude·.
9 But now you rejected us, and brought us to dishonor,
and don’t go out with our armies.
10 You make us turn back from the adversary.
Those who hate us take plunder for themselves.
11 You have made us like sheep for food,
and have scattered us among the nations.
12 You sell your people for nothing,
and have gained nothing from their sale.
13 You make us a reproach to our neighbors,
a scoffing and a derision to those who are around us.
14 You make us a byword among the nations,
a shaking of the head among the peoples.
15 All day long my dishonor is before me,
and shame covers my face,
16 At the taunt of one who reproaches and verbally abuses,
because of the enemy and the avenger.
17 All this has come on us,
yet have we not forgotten you,
Neither have we been false to your covenant ·binding contract between two or more parties·.
18 Our heart has not turned back,
neither have our steps strayed from your path,
19 Though you have crushed us in the haunt of jackals,
and covered us with the shadow of death.
20 If we have forgotten the name of our God,
or spread out our hands to a strange deity;
21 won’t God search this out?
For he knows the secrets of the heart.
22 Yes, for your sake we are killed all day long.
We are regarded as sheep for the slaughter. * Quoted in Rom 8:36
23 Wake up!
Why do you sleep, Lord?
Arise!
Don’t reject us forever.
24 Why do you hide your face,
and forget our affliction and our oppression?
25 For our soul is bowed down to the dust.
Our body clings to the earth.
26 Rise up to help us.
Redeem us for your cheshed ·loving-kindness’· sake.