Psalms 44:9-14

44:9 But ¹  you rejected and embarrassed us!

You did not go into battle with our armies. ² 

44:10 You made us retreat ³  from the enemy.

Those who hate us take whatever they want from us. ⁴ 

44:11 You handed us ⁵  over like sheep to be eaten;

you scattered us among the nations.

44:12 You sold ⁶  your people for a pittance; ⁷ 

you did not ask a high price for them. ⁸ 

44:13 You made us ⁹  an object of disdain to our neighbors;

those who live on our borders taunt and insult us. ¹⁰ 

44:14 You made us ¹¹  an object of ridicule ¹²  among the nations;

foreigners treat us with contempt. ¹³ 

[44:9]  ¹ tn The particle אַף (’af, “but”) is used here as a strong adversative contrasting the following statement with what precedes.

[44:9]  ² tn Heb “you did not go out with our armies.” The prefixed verbal form is a preterite (without vav [ו] consecutive).

[44:10]  ³ tn Heb “you caused us to turn backward.”

[44:10]  ⁴ tn Heb “plunder for themselves.” The prepositional phrase לָמוֹ (lamo, “for themselves”) here has the nuance “at their will” or “as they please” (see Ps 80:6).

[44:11]  ⁵ tn The prefixed verbal form is a preterite (without vav [ו] consecutive).

[44:12]  ⁶ tn The prefixed verbal form is a preterite (without vav [ו] consecutive).

[44:12]  ⁷ tn Heb “for what is not wealth.”

[44:12]  ⁸ tn Heb “you did not multiply their purchase prices.”

[44:13]  ⁹ tn The prefixed verbal form is a preterite (without vav [ו] consecutive).

[44:13]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “an [object of] taunting and [of] mockery to those around us.”

[44:14]  ¹¹ tn The prefixed verbal form is a preterite (without vav [ו] consecutive).

[44:14]  ¹² tn Heb “a proverb,” or “[the subject of] a mocking song.”

[44:14]  ¹³ tn Heb “a shaking of the head among the peoples.” Shaking the head was a derisive gesture (see Jer 18:16; Lam 2:15).