1A psalm of the sons of Korah We've been hearing about this, God, all our lives. Our fathers told us the stories their fathers told them,
2How single-handedly you weeded out the godless from the fields and planted us, How you sent those people packing but gave us a fresh start.
3We didn't fight for this land; we didn't work for it—it was a gift! You gave it, smiling as you gave it, delighting as you gave it.
4You're my King, O God— command victories for Jacob!
5With your help we'll wipe out our enemies, in your name we'll stomp them to dust.
6I don't trust in weapons; my sword won't save me—
7But it's you, you who saved us from the enemy; you made those who hate us lose face.
8All day we parade God's praise— we thank you by name over and over.
9But now you've walked off and left us, you've disgraced us and won't fight for us.
10You made us turn tail and run; those who hate us have cleaned us out.
11You delivered us as sheep to the butcher, you scattered us to the four winds.
12You sold your people at a discount— you made nothing on the sale.
13You made people on the street, urchins, poke fun and call us names.
14You made us a joke among the godless, a cheap joke among the rabble.
15Every day I'm up against it, my nose rubbed in my shame—
16Gossip and ridicule fill the air, people out to get me crowd the street.
17All this came down on us, and we've done nothing to deserve it. We never betrayed your Covenant:
18our hearts were never false, our feet never left your path.
19Do we deserve torture in a den of jackals? or lockup in a black hole?
20If we had forgotten to pray to our God or made fools of ourselves with store-bought gods,
21Wouldn't God have figured this out? We can't hide things from him.
22No, you decided to make us martyrs, lambs assigned for sacrifice each day.
23Get up, God! Are you going to sleep all day? Wake up! Don't you care what happens to us?
24Why do you bury your face in the pillow? Why pretend things are just fine with us?
25And here we are—flat on our faces in the dirt, held down with a boot on our necks.
26Get up and come to our rescue. If you love us so much, Help us!