Psalm 44

Come to Our Help

To the choirmaster. A Maskil[1] of the Sons of Korah.

44:1 O God, we have heard with our ears, our fathers have told us, what deeds you performed in their days, in the days of old: ²you with your own hand drove out the nations, but them you planted; you afflicted the peoples, but them you set free; ³for not by their own sword did they win the land, nor did their own arm save them, but your right hand and your arm, and the light of your face, for you delighted in them.

⁴You are my King, O God; ordain salvation for Jacob! ⁵Through you we push down our foes; through your name we tread down those who rise up against us. ⁶For not in my bow do I trust, nor can my sword save me. ⁷But you have saved us from our foes and have put to shame those who hate us. ⁸In God we have boasted continually, and we will give thanks to your name forever. Selah

⁹But you have rejected us and disgraced us and have not gone out with our armies. ¹⁰You have made us turn back from the foe, and those who hate us have gotten spoil. ¹¹You have made us like sheep for slaughter and have scattered us among the nations. ¹²You have sold your people for a trifle, demanding no high price for them. ¹³You have made us the taunt of our neighbors, the derision and scorn of those around us. ¹⁴You have made us a byword among the nations, a laughingstock[2] among the peoples. ¹⁵All day long my disgrace is before me, and shame has covered my face ¹⁶at the sound of the taunter and reviler, at the sight of the enemy and the avenger.

¹⁷All this has come upon us, though we have not forgotten you, and we have not been false to your covenant. ¹⁸Our heart has not turned back, nor have our steps departed from your way; ¹⁹yet you have broken us in the place of jackals and covered us with the shadow of death. ²⁰If we had forgotten the name of our God or spread out our hands to a foreign god, ²¹would not God discover this? For he knows the secrets of the heart. ²²Yet for your sake we are killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.

²³Awake! Why are you sleeping, O Lord? Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever! ²⁴Why do you hide your face? Why do you forget our affliction and oppression? ²⁵For our soul is bowed down to the dust; our belly clings to the ground. ²⁶Rise up; come to our help! Redeem us for the sake of your steadfast love!

[1] Probably a musical or liturgical term [2] Hebrew a shaking of the head

Psalm 45

Your Throne, O God, Is Forever

To the choirmaster: according to Lilies. A Maskil[3] of the Sons of Korah; a love song.

45:1 My heart overflows with a pleasing theme; I address my verses to the king; my tongue is like the pen of a ready scribe.

²You are the most handsome of the sons of men; grace is poured upon your lips; therefore God has blessed you forever. ³Gird your sword on your thigh, O mighty one, in your splendor and majesty!

⁴In your majesty ride out victoriously for the cause of truth and meekness and righteousness; let your right hand teach you awesome deeds! ⁵Your arrows are sharp in the heart of the king’s enemies; the peoples fall under you.

⁶Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of uprightness; ⁷ you have loved righteousness and hated wickedness. Therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions; ⁸ your robes are all fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia. From ivory palaces stringed instruments make you glad; ⁹ daughters of kings are among your ladies of honor; at your right hand stands the queen in gold of Ophir.

¹⁰Hear, O daughter, and consider, and incline your ear: forget your people and your father’s house, ¹¹ and the king will desire your beauty. Since he is your lord, bow to him. ¹² The people[4] of Tyre will seek your favor with gifts, the richest of the people. 5]

¹³All glorious is the princess in her chamber, with robes interwoven with gold. ¹⁴ In many-colored robes she is led to the king, with her virgin companions following behind her. ¹⁵With joy and gladness they are led along as they enter the palace of the king.

¹⁶In place of your fathers shall be your sons; you will make them princes in all the earth. ¹⁷I will cause your name to be remembered in all generations; therefore nations will praise you forever and ever.

[3] Probably a musical or liturgical term [4] Hebrew daughter [5] Or The daughter of Tyre is here with gifts, the richest of people seek your favor

Psalm 46

God Is Our Fortress

To the choirmaster. Of the Sons of Korah. According to Alamoth.[6] A Song.

46:1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present[7] help in trouble. ²Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, ³though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah

⁴There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High. ⁵God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns. ⁶The nations rage, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts. ⁷The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

⁸Come, behold the works of the Lord, how he has brought desolations on the earth. ⁹He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the chariots with fire. ¹⁰“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” ¹¹The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

[6] Probably a musical or liturgical term [7] Or well proved

Psalm 47

God Is King over All the Earth

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah.

7:1 Clap your hands, all peoples! Shout to God with loud songs of joy! ²For the Lord, the Most High, is to be feared, a great king over all the earth. ³He subdued peoples under us, and nations under our feet. ⁴He chose our heritage for us, the pride of Jacob whom he loves. Selah

⁵God has gone up with a shout, the Lord with the sound of a trumpet. ⁶Sing praises to God, sing praises! Sing praises to our King, sing praises! ⁷For God is the King of all the earth; sing praises with a psalm!^[8]

⁸God reigns over the nations; God sits on his holy throne. ⁹The princes of the peoples gather as the people of the God of Abraham. For the shields of the earth belong to God; he is highly exalted!

[8] Hebrew maskil