Psalms

Psalm 44:1–5

¹For the choirmaster. A Maskil^a of the sons of Korah.

We have heard with our ears, O God;

our fathers have told us

the work You did in their days,

in the days of old.

²With Your hand You drove out the nations

and planted our fathers there;

You crushed the peoples

and cast them out.

³For it was not by their sword that they took the land;

their arm did not bring them victory.

It was by Your right hand,

Your arm, and the light of Your face,

because You favored them.

⁴You are my King, O God,

who ordains victories for Jacob.

⁵Through You we repel our foes;

through Your name we trample our enemies.

Footnotes

a 44:1 Maskil is probably a musical or liturgical term; used for Psalms 32, 42, 44–45, 52–55, 74, 78, 88–89, and 142.

Read all of Psalm 44

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Psalm 44:1

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
For the choirmaster	לַמְנַצֵּ֬חַ	lam·naṣ·ṣê·aḥ	Preposition-l, Article; Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular	H5329 be pre-eminent, enduring
A Maskil	מַשְׂכִּֽיל׃	maś·kîl	Noun - masculine singular	H4905 contemplative poem
of the sons	לִבְנֵי־	liḇ·nê-	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine plural construct	H1121 son
of Korah	קֹ֬רַח	qō·raḥ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H7141 Korach
We have heard	שָׁמַ֗עְנוּ	šā·ma‘·nū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common plural	H8085 hear
with our ears	בְּאָזְנֵ֬ינוּ	bə·’ā·zə·nê·nū	Preposition-b; Noun - feminine dual construct; first person common plural	H241 ear
O God	אֱלֹהִ֤ים׀	’ĕ·lō·hîm	Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
our fathers	אֲבוֹתֵ֥ינוּ	’ă·ḇō·w·ṯê·nū	Noun - masculine plural construct; first person common plural	H1 father
have told	סִפְּרוּ־	sip·pə·rū-	Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person common plural	H5608 count
us	לָ֑נוּ	lā·nū	Preposition; first person common plural
the work	פֹּ֥עַל	pō·‘al	Noun - masculine singular	H6467 doing, deed, work
You did	פָּעַ֥לְתָּ	pā·‘al·tā	Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular	H6466 do, make
in their days	בִֽ֝ימֵיהֶ֗ם	ḇî·mê·hem	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine plural	H3117 day
in the days	בִּ֣ימֵי	bî·mê	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine plural construct	H3117 day
of old	קֶֽדֶם׃	qe·ḏem	Noun - masculine singular	H6924 front, east, aforetime

Psalm 44:2

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
With Your hand	יָדְךָ֡	yā·ḏə·ḵā	Noun - feminine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H3027 hand
You	אַתָּ֤ה׀	’at·tāh	Pronoun - second person masculine singular	H859 thou
drove out	ה֭וֹרַשְׁתָּ	hō·w·raš·tā	Verb - Hifil - Perfect - second person masculine singular	H3423 take possession of, inherit, dispossess
the nations	גּוֹיִ֣ם	gō·w·yim	Noun - masculine plural	H1471 nation, people
and planted	וַתִּטָּעֵ֑ם	wat·tiṭ·ṭā·‘êm	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - second person masculine singular; third person masculine plural	H5193 strike, fix, plant
You crushed	תָּרַ֥ע	tā·ra‘	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine singular	H7489 be evil, bad
the peoples	לְ֝אֻמִּ֗ים	lə·’um·mîm	Noun - masculine plural	H3816 people
and cast them out	וַֽתְּשַׁלְּחֵֽם׃	wat·tə·šal·lə·ḥêm	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - second person masculine singular; third person masculine plural	H7971 send

Psalm 44:3

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
For	כִּ֤י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
it was not	לֹ֪א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
by their sword	בְחַרְבָּ֡ם	ḇə·ḥar·bām	Preposition-b; Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine plural	H2719 sword
that they took	יָ֥רְשׁוּ	yā·rə·šū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H3423 take possession of, inherit, dispossess
the land	אָ֗רֶץ	’ā·reṣ	Noun - feminine singular	H776 earth, land
their arm	וּזְרוֹעָם֮	ū·zə·rō·w·‘ām	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine plural	H2220 arm, shoulder, strength
did not	לֹא־	lō-	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
bring them victory	הוֹשִׁ֪יעָ֫ה	hō·wō·šî·‘āh	Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person feminine singular	H3467 deliver
It was	כִּֽי־	kî-	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
by Your right hand	יְמִֽינְךָ֣	yə·mî·nə·ḵā	Noun - feminine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H3225 right hand
Your arm	וּ֭זְרוֹעֲךָ	ū·zə·rō·w·‘ă·ḵā	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H2220 arm, shoulder, strength
and the light	וְא֥וֹר	wə·’ō·wr	Conjunctive waw; Noun - common singular construct	H216 light
of Your face	פָּנֶ֗יךָ	pā·ne·ḵā	Noun - common plural construct; second person masculine singular	H6440 face, before
because	כִּ֣י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
You favored them	רְצִיתָֽם׃	rə·ṣî·ṯām	Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular; third person masculine plural	H7521 be pleased with, accept favourably

Psalm 44:4

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
You	אַתָּה־	’at·tāh-	Pronoun - second person masculine singular	H859 thou
are my King	מַלְכִּ֣י	mal·kî	Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H4428 king
O God	אֱלֹהִ֑ים	’ĕ·lō·hîm	Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
who ordains	צַ֝וֵּ֗ה	ṣaw·wêh	Verb - Piel - Imperative - masculine singular	H6680 lay charge (upon), give charge (to), charge, command, order
victories	יְשׁוּע֥וֹת	yə·šū·‘ō·wṯ	Noun - feminine plural construct	H3444 salvation
for Jacob	יַעֲקֹֽב׃	ya·‘ă·qōḇ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3290 Jacob

Psalm 44:5

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Through You	בְּ֭ךָ	bə·ḵā	Preposition; second person masculine singular
we repel	נְנַגֵּ֑חַ	nə·nag·gê·aḥ	Verb - Piel - Imperfect - first person common plural	H5055 push, thrust, gore
our foes	צָרֵ֣ינוּ	ṣā·rê·nū	Noun - masculine plural construct; first person common plural	H6862 narrow, tight
through Your name	בְּ֝שִׁמְךָ֗	bə·šim·ḵā	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H8034 name
we trample	נָב֥וּס	nā·ḇūs	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common plural	H947 tread down, trample
our enemies	קָמֵֽינוּ׃	qā·mê·nū	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct; first person common plural	H6965 arise, stand up, stand