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1O God, we with our ears have heard,
our fathers have us told,
What
works thou in their days hadst done,
ev'n in the days of old.
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2Thy hand did drive the heathen out,
and plant them in their place;
Thou
didst afflict the nations,
but them thou didst increase.
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3For neither got their sword the land,
nor did their arm them save;
But
thy right hand, arm, countenance;
for thou them favour gave.
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4Thou art my King: for Jacob, Lord,
deliv'rances command.
5Through thee we shall push down our foes,
that do against us stand:
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We,
through thy name, shall tread down those
that ris'n against us have.
6For in my bow I shall not trust,
nor shall my sword me save.
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7But from our foes thou hast us sav'd,
our haters put to shame.
8In God we all the day do boast,
and ever praise thy name.
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9But now we are cast off by thee,
and us thou putt'st to shame;
And
when our armies do go forth,
thou go'st not with the same.
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10Thou mak'st us from the enemy,
faint-hearted, to turn back;
And
they who hate us for themselves
our spoils away do take.
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11Like sheep for meat thou gavest us;
'mong heathen cast we be.
12Thou didst for nought thy people sell;
their price enrich'd not thee.
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13Thou mak'st us a reproach to be
unto our neighbours near;
Derision
and a scorn to them
that round about us are.
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14A by-word also thou dost us
among the heathen make;
The
people, in contempt and spite,
at us their heads do shake.
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15Before me my confusion
continually abides;
And
of my bashful countenance
the shame me ever hides:
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16For voice of him that doth reproach,
and speaketh blasphemy;
By
reason of th' avenging foe,
and cruel enemy.
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17All this is come on us, yet we
have not forgotten thee;
Nor
falsely in thy covenant
behav'd ourselves have we.
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18Back from thy way our heart not turn'd;
our steps no straying made;
19Though us thou brak'st in dragons' place,
and cover'dst with death's shade.
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20If we God's name forgot, or stretch'd
to a strange god our hands,
21Shall not God search this out? for he
heart's secrets understands.
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22Yea, for thy sake we're kill'd all day,
counted as slaughter-sheep.
23Rise, Lord, cast us not ever off;
awake, why dost thou sleep?
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24O wherefore hidest thou thy face?
forgett'st our cause distress'd,
25And our oppression? For our soul
is to the dust down press'd:
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Our
belly also on the earth
fast cleaving, hold doth take.
26Rise for our help, and us redeem,
ev'n for thy mercies' sake.
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