Psalms 44:24-26

44:24 Why do you look the other way, ¹ 

and ignore ²  the way we are oppressed and mistreated? ³ 

44:25 For we lie in the dirt,

with our bellies pressed to the ground. ⁴ 

44:26 Rise up and help us!

Rescue us ⁵  because of your loyal love!

[44:24]  ¹ tn Heb “Why do you hide your face?” The idiom “hide the face” can mean “ignore” (see Pss 10:11; 13:1; 51:9) or carry the stronger idea of “reject” (see Pss 30:7; 88:14).

[44:24]  ² tn Or “forget.”

[44:24]  ³ tn Heb “our oppression and our affliction.”

[44:25]  ⁴ tn Heb “for our being/life sinks down to the dirt, our belly clings to the earth.” The suffixed form of נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh, “being, life”) is often equivalent to a pronoun in poetic texts.

[44:26]  ⁵ tn Or “redeem us.” See Pss 25:22; 26:11; 69:18; 119:134.