Christian prayer
Psalm 44
Psalm 44 from the Bible, with the original text and its meaning.
- 26 verses
- About 1 minute to recite
- From the Bible
- 1
To the chief Musician for the sons of Korah, Maschil. 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.
The Hebrew original
1 לַמְנַצֵּ֬חַ לִבְנֵי־קֹ֬רַח מַשְׂכִּֽיל׃
2 אֱלֹהִ֤ים ׀ בְּאָזְנֵ֬ינוּ שָׁמַ֗עְנוּ אֲבוֹתֵ֥ינוּ סִפְּרוּ־לָ֑נוּ פֹּ֥עַל פָּעַ֥לְתָּ בִֽ֝ימֵיהֶ֗ם בִּ֣ימֵי קֶֽדֶם׃
3 אַתָּ֤ה ׀ יָדְךָ֡ גּוֹיִ֣ם ה֭וֹרַשְׁתָּ וַתִּטָּעֵ֑ם תָּרַ֥ע לְ֝אֻמִּ֗ים וַֽתְּשַׁלְּחֵֽם׃
4 כִּ֤י לֹ֪א בְחַרְבָּ֡ם יָ֥רְשׁוּ אָ֗רֶץ וּזְרוֹעָם֮ לֹא־הוֹשִׁ֪יעָ֫ה לָּ֥מוֹ כִּֽי־יְמִֽינְךָ֣ וּ֭זְרוֹעֲךָ וְא֥וֹר פָּנֶ֗יךָ כִּ֣י רְצִיתָֽם׃
5 אַתָּה־ה֣וּא מַלְכִּ֣י אֱלֹהִ֑ים צַ֝וֵּ֗ה יְשׁוּע֥וֹת יַעֲקֹֽב׃
6 בְּ֭ךָ צָרֵ֣ינוּ נְנַגֵּ֑חַ בְּ֝שִׁמְךָ֗ נָב֥וּס קָמֵֽינוּ׃
7 כִּ֤י לֹ֣א בְקַשְׁתִּ֣י אֶבְטָ֑ח וְ֝חַרְבִּ֗י לֹ֣א תוֹשִׁיעֵֽנִי׃
8 כִּ֣י ה֭וֹשַׁעְתָּנוּ מִצָּרֵ֑ינוּ וּמְשַׂנְאֵ֥ינוּ הֱבִישֽׁוֹתָ׃
9 בֵּֽ֭אלֹהִים הִלַּלְ֣נוּ כָל־הַיּ֑וֹם וְשִׁמְךָ֓ ׀ לְעוֹלָ֖ם נוֹדֶ֣ה סֶֽלָה׃
10 אַף־זָ֭נַחְתָּ וַתַּכְלִימֵ֑נוּ וְלֹא־תֵ֝צֵ֗א בְּצִבְאוֹתֵֽינוּ׃
11 תְּשִׁיבֵ֣נוּ אָ֭חוֹר מִנִּי־צָ֑ר וּ֝מְשַׂנְאֵ֗ינוּ שָׁ֣סוּ לָֽמוֹ׃
12 תִּ֭תְּנֵנוּ כְּצֹ֣אן מַאֲכָ֑ל וּ֝בַגּוֹיִ֗ם זֵרִיתָֽנוּ׃
13 תִּמְכֹּֽר־עַמְּךָ֥ בְלֹא־ה֑וֹן וְלֹ֥א־רִ֝בִּ֗יתָ בִּמְחִירֵיהֶֽם׃
14 תְּשִׂימֵ֣נוּ חֶ֭רְפָּה לִשְׁכֵנֵ֑ינוּ לַ֥עַג וָ֝קֶ֗לֶס לִסְבִיבוֹתֵֽינוּ׃
15 תְּשִׂימֵ֣נוּ מָ֭שָׁל בַּגּוֹיִ֑ם מְנֽוֹד־רֹ֝֗אשׁ בַּל־אֻמִּֽים׃
16 כָּל־הַ֭יּוֹם כְּלִמָּתִ֣י נֶגְדִּ֑י וּבֹ֖שֶׁת פָּנַ֣י כִּסָּֽתְנִי׃
17 מִ֭קּוֹל מְחָרֵ֣ף וּמְגַדֵּ֑ף מִפְּנֵ֥י א֝וֹיֵ֗ב וּמִתְנַקֵּֽם׃
18 כָּל־זֹ֣את בָּ֭אַתְנוּ וְלֹ֣א שְׁכַחֲנ֑וּךָ וְלֹֽא־שִׁ֝קַּ֗רְנוּ בִּבְרִיתֶֽךָ׃
19 לֹא־נָס֣וֹג אָח֣וֹר לִבֵּ֑נוּ וַתֵּ֥ט אֲשֻׁרֵ֗ינוּ מִנִּ֥י אָרְחֶֽךָ׃
20 כִּ֣י דִ֭כִּיתָנוּ בִּמְק֣וֹם תַּנִּ֑ים וַתְּכַ֖ס עָלֵ֣ינוּ בְצַלְמָֽוֶת׃
21 אִם־שָׁ֭כַחְנוּ שֵׁ֣ם אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ וַנִּפְרֹ֥שׂ כַּ֝פֵּ֗ינוּ לְאֵ֣ל זָֽר׃
22 הֲלֹ֣א אֱ֭לֹהִים יַֽחֲקָר־זֹ֑את כִּֽי־ה֥וּא יֹ֝דֵ֗עַ תַּעֲלֻמ֥וֹת לֵֽב׃
23 כִּֽי־עָ֭לֶיךָ הֹרַ֣גְנוּ כָל־הַיּ֑וֹם נֶ֝חְשַׁ֗בְנוּ כְּצֹ֣אן טִבְחָֽה׃
24 ע֤וּרָה ׀ לָ֖מָּה תִישַׁ֥ן ׀ אֲדֹנָ֑י הָ֝קִ֗יצָה אַל־תִּזְנַ֥ח לָנֶֽצַח׃
25 לָֽמָּה־פָנֶ֥יךָ תַסְתִּ֑יר תִּשְׁכַּ֖ח עָנְיֵ֣נוּ וְֽלַחֲצֵֽנוּ׃
26 כִּ֤י שָׁ֣חָה לֶעָפָ֣ר נַפְשֵׁ֑נוּ דָּבְקָ֖ה לָאָ֣רֶץ בִּטְנֵֽנוּ׃
27 ק֭וּמָֽה עֶזְרָ֣תָה לָּ֑נוּ וּ֝פְדֵ֗נוּ לְמַ֣עַן חַסְדֶּֽךָ׃
Wording: The Holy Bible, King James Version, 1611 (standard text of 1769). Copied word for word from the edition named here
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When it is prayed
Many Christians pray Psalm 44 during times of hardship, defeat or uncertainty, especially when suffering feels difficult to understand. It gives words to a community's grief while recalling God's past faithfulness. It may also be read as part of regular prayer and Bible reading.
Where it comes from
Psalm 44 comes from the Bible's Book of Psalms, a collection of ancient Israel's prayers and songs that Christians receive as scripture. Its heading associates it with the sons of Korah. The psalm recalls God's help in the past before voicing the community's distress and asking for deliverance.

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Related prayers and texts
- ChristianPsalm 91A biblical psalm of trust in God’s shelter and protection amid danger.
- ChristianPsalm 23A biblical psalm of trust in God, pictured as a caring shepherd and generous host.
- ChristianPsalm 121A biblical psalm of trust in God as the keeper of those who look to him for help.
- ChristianPsalm 35A biblical psalm asking God for protection, justice and deliverance from enemies.
Questions about Psalm 44
What is Psalm 44 about?
Psalm 44 is a communal lament: the people remember God's past help, describe their present suffering and ask God to come to their aid. It expresses both trust and the pain of feeling abandoned.
How many verses does Psalm 44 have?
Psalm 44 has 26 verses.
Who wrote Psalm 44?
Its heading associates it with the sons of Korah, a group connected with worship and music in ancient Israel. Its individual author is not known with certainty.
When do Christians pray Psalm 44?
Many Christians pray it in times of hardship or shared sorrow, particularly when they struggle to understand suffering. It is also read in regular cycles of prayer and scripture reading.


















