1.O God, we have heard, and our fathers have told,
what wonders you did in the great days of old.
The nations were crushed and expelled by your hand;
you planted our fathers to dwell in the land.

2.They gained not the land by the sword of their might;
nor by their own arm were they saved in the fight,
but ’twas by the pow’r of your wonderful grace:
your right hand, your arm, and the light of your face.

3.O God, you alone are my God and my king;
now give your command; Jacob’s victory bring.
Through you we will surely put down all our foes,
and crush in your name all who rise to oppose.

4.No trust will I place in my sword or my bow,
for you are my Savior from hater and foe.
In God we will boast, for you put them to shame,
all day and forever we praise your great name.

5.But now you reject us, bring shame to our boasts;
no more into battle you go with our hosts.
You make us turn back from our foe in dismay;
our haters who plunder, our goods take away.

6. You give us like sheep to be slaughtered for food,
among all the nations dispersed and pursued.
You sold off your people for trifle of pay,
demanding no profit and seeking no gain.

7.You make all our neighbors reproach us in pride,
and cause those around us to scoff and deride.
You make us a byword for nations to shame;
the peoples all laugh, shake their heads in disdain.

8.Now all the day long I behold my disgrace,
and shame and dishonor have covered my face.
Because the blasphemer and scoffer I hear,
as foe and avenger before me appear.

9.We suffered tho’ we to your cov’nant were true;
we did not forget you, were faithful to you.
Our heart has not turned and our steps have not strayed,
tho’ crushed among ruins and under death’s shade.

10.If we had forgotten the name of our God
or reached out to idols, would God know it not?
He knows all our secrets, our heart’s hidden ways.
Yet, Lord, for your sake, we are killed all the day.

11. We’re reckoned as ready for slaughter like sheep.
Awake, Lord, and rouse yourself! Why do you sleep?
O do not forever reject us, we plead.
Lord, why hide your face? Why forget our deep need?

12. Our soul is bowed down to the dust, very low;
our body lies crushed on the ground in our woe.
Arise, Lord, and come to our aid from above;
redeem for the sake of your covenant love.