Book Two (Psalms 42-72) "Concerning Israel as a Nation"
For the sons of Korah, Maschil.
1: We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, what work thou didst in their days, in the times of old.
2: How thou didst drive out the heathen with thy hand, and plantedst them; how thou didst afflict the people, and cast them out.
3: For they got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them:
but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour unto them.
4: Thou art my King, O God: command deliverances for Jacob.
5: Through thee will we push down our enemies: through thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us.
6: For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me.
7: But thou hast saved us from our enemies, and hast put them to shame that hated us.
8: In God we boast all the day long, and praise thy name for ever. Selah.
9: But thou hast cast off, and put us to shame; and goest not forth with our armies.
10: Thou makest us to turn back from the enemy: and they which hate us spoil for themselves.
11: Thou hast given us like sheep appointed for meat; and hast scattered us among the heathen.
12: Thou sellest thy people for nought, and dost not increase thy wealth by their price.
13: Thou makest us a reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and a derision to them that are round about us.
14: Thou makest us a byword among the heathen, a shaking of the head among the people.
15: My confusion is continually before me, and the shame of my face hath covered me,
16: For the voice of him that reproacheth and blasphemeth; by reason of the enemy and avenger.
17: All this is come upon us; yet have we not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falsely in thy covenant.
18: Our heart is not turned back, neither have our steps declined from thy way;
19: Though thou hast sore broken us in the place of dragons, and covered us with the shadow of death.
20: If we have forgotten the name of our God, or stretched out our hands to a strange god;
21: Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart.
22: Yea, for thy sake are we killed all the day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter.
23: Awake, why sleepest thou, O Lord? arise, cast us not off for ever.
24: Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and forgettest our affliction and our oppression?
25: For our soul is bowed down to the dust:
our belly cleaveth unto the earth.
26: Arise for our help, and redeem us for thy mercies' sake.
To the chief Musician upon Shoshannim.
subtitle To the chief Musician. See The Companion Bible, Appendix 64.
upon = concerning.
Shoshannim = Lilies.
"Put by Fig. Metalepsis for 'Spring', and 'Spring' put for the great spring festival, the Passover. See The Companion Bible Appendix #65. XXI."
-- The Companion Bible