1To him that excelleth. A Psalme to give instruction, committed to the sonnes of Korah. We haue heard with our eares, O God: our fathers haue tolde vs the workes, that thou hast done in their dayes, in the olde time:

2Howe thou hast driuen out the heathen with thine hand, and planted them: how thou hast destroyed the people, and caused them to grow.

3For they inherited not the lande by their owne sworde, neither did their owne arme saue them: but thy right hand, and thine arme and the light of thy countenance, because thou didest fauour them.

4Thou art my King, O God: send helpe vnto Iaakob.

5Through thee haue we thrust backe our aduersaries: by thy Name haue we troden downe them that rose vp against vs.

6For I do not trust in my bowe, neither can my sworde saue me.

7But thou hast saued vs from our aduersaries, and hast put them to confusion that hate vs.

8Therefore will wee praise God continually, and will confesse thy Name for euer. Selah.

9But now thou art farre off, and puttest vs to confusion, and goest not forth with our armies.

10Thou makest vs to turne backe from the aduersary, and they, which hate vs, spoile for theselues.

11Thou giuest vs as sheepe to bee eaten, and doest scatter vs among the nations.

12Thou sellest thy people without gaine, and doest not increase their price.

13Thou makest vs a reproche to our neighbours, a iest and a laughing stocke to them that are round about vs.

14Thou makest vs a prouerbe among the nations, and a nodding of the head among the people.

15My confusion is dayly before me, and the shame of my face hath couered me,

16For the voyce of the slaunderer and rebuker, for the enemie and auenger.

17All this is come vpon vs, yet doe wee not forget thee, neither deale wee falsly concerning thy couenant.

18Our heart is not turned backe: neither our steps gone out of thy paths,

19Albeit thou hast smitten vs downe into the place of dragons, and couered vs with the shadow of death.

20If wee haue forgotten the Name of our God, and holden vp our hands to a strange god,

21Shall not God searche this out? for hee knoweth the secrets of the heart.

22Surely for thy sake are we slaine continually, and are counted as sheepe for the slaughter.

23Vp, why sleepest thou, O Lord? awake, be not farre off for euer.

24Wherefore hidest thou thy face? and forgettest our miserie and our affliction?

25For our soule is beaten downe vnto the dust: our belly cleaueth vnto the ground.

26Rise vp for our succour, and redeeme vs for thy mercies sake.