To him that excelleth. A Psalme to giue instruction, committed to the sonnes of Korah. Wee 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:

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

For 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thou makest vs to turne backe fro the aduersary, & they, which hate vs, spoile for theselues.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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