O God, with our own ears we have heard
The things our fathers have told us,
All the deeds you did in their day
And what you wrought in olden times.
With your power you drove out the nations,
Harassing and scattering them abroad.
You settled our ancestors on their land.
But it was not by the sword they did conquer,
Nor with their own might achieve victory;
It was done through your power and your might.
With the light of your presence you favored them.
You are my sovereign, O my God!
Decree victories for Jacob!
By your power we repel our enemies;
In your name we tread our foes under foot.
In my bow I place not my trust;
My sword will not deliver me.
It is you who saves us from our foes,
And disgraces those who hate us.
To God we give praise all day long,
And extol your name forever.
But now you have forsaken us,
And have caused us to feel ashamed.
No longer do you lead our armies.
You make us retreat before our foes
And allow them to plunder our land.
You’ve made us sheep for the slaughter
And dispersed us among the nations.
Cheaply you have sold your people
And gained no profit from the sale.
You’ve disgraced us before our neighbors
And made us an object of derision
And scorn to those who live around us.
You have turned us into a byword
Among the nations; their people
Shake their heads at us with disdain.
I live in constant confusion,
And my face is covered with shame
When I hear the taunting reviler
And see the avenging enemy.
All this befell us, though we did not forget you,
Nor indeed did we violate your covenant.
Our hearts turned not away from you,
Nor have our steps strayed from your path.
But you have crushed us and left us
Where we are the prey of jackals,
Covered by the dark shadow of death.
If we had forgotten the name of our god
Or had worshiped some foreign deity,
Would not God have discovered such a thing,
Knowing as he does the secrets of our hearts?
Yet it is surely for your sake
We are being killed all day long,
And treated like sheep to be slaughtered.
Wake up, O Master Jehovah!
Why is it that you are sleeping?
Rise up, reject us not forever!
Why do you turn away your face?
Why have you forgotten about
Our affliction and oppression?
Our bodies grovel in the dirt,
Our bellies are pressed to the ground.
Rise up, rescue us, redeem us
For the sake of your merciful love!
