1 To the Overseer. -- By sons of Korah. An Instruction. O God, with our ears we have heard, Our fathers have recounted to us, The work Thou didst work in their days, In the days of old.

2 Thou, with Thy hand, nations hast dispossessed. And Thou dost plant them. Thou afflictest peoples, and sendest them away.

3 For, not by their sword Possessed they the land, And their arm gave not salvation to them, But Thy right hand, and Thine arm, And the light of Thy countenance, Because Thou hadst accepted them.

4 Thou art He, my king, O God, Command the deliverances of Jacob.

5 By Thee our adversaries we do push, By Thy name tread down our withstanders,

6 For, not in my bow do I trust, And my sword doth not save me.

7 For Thou hast saved us from our adversaries, And those hating us Thou hast put to shame.

8 In God we have boasted all the day, And Thy name to the age we thank. Selah.

9 In anger Thou hast cast off and causest us to blush, And goest not forth with our hosts.

10 Thou causest us to turn backward from an adversary, And those hating us, Have spoiled for themselves.

11 Thou makest us food like sheep, And among nations Thou hast scattered us.

12 Thou sellest Thy people -- without wealth, And hast not become great by their price.

13 Thou makest us a reproach to our neighbours, A scorn and a reproach to our surrounders.

14 Thou makest us a simile among nations, A shaking of the head among peoples.

15 All the day my confusion is before me, And the shame of my face hath covered me.

16 Because of the voice of a reproacher and reviler, Because of an enemy and a self-avenger.

17 All this met us, and we did not forget Thee, Nor have we dealt falsely in Thy covenant.

18 We turn not backward our heart, Nor turn aside doth our step from Thy path.

19 But Thou hast smitten us in a place of dragons, And dost cover us over with death-shade.

20 If we have forgotten the name of our God, And spread our hands to a strange God,

21 Doth not God search out this? For He knoweth the secrets of the heart.

22 Surely, for Thy sake we have been slain all the day, Reckoned as sheep of the slaughter.

23 Stir up -- why dost Thou sleep, O Lord? Awake, cast us not off for ever.

24 Why Thy face hidest Thou? Thou forgettest our afflictions and our oppression,

25 For bowed to the dust hath our soul, Cleaved to the earth hath our belly.

26 Arise, a help to us, And ransom us for thy kindness' sake.