Mazmur 44:22-26

44:22 Yet because of you ¹  we are killed all day long;

we are treated like ²  sheep at the slaughtering block. ³ 

44:23 Rouse yourself! Why do you sleep, O Lord?

Wake up! ⁴  Do not reject us forever!

44:24 Why do you look the other way, ⁵ 

and ignore ⁶  the way we are oppressed and mistreated? ⁷ 

44:25 For we lie in the dirt,

with our bellies pressed to the ground. ⁸ 

44:26 Rise up and help us!

Rescue us ⁹  because of your loyal love!

[44:22]  ¹ tn The statement “because of you” (1) may simply indicate that God is the cause of the Israelites’ defeat (see vv. 9-14, where the nation’s situation is attributed directly to God’s activity, and cf. NEB, NRSV), or (2) it may suggest they suffer because of their allegiance to God (see Ps 69:7 and Jer 15:15). In this case one should translate, “for your sake” (cf. NASB, NIV). The citation of this verse in Rom 8:36 follows the LXX (Ps 43:23 LXX), where the Greek term ἕνεκεν (Jeneken; LXX ἕνεκα) may likewise mean “because of” or “for the sake of” (BDAG 334 s.v. ἕνεκα 1).

[44:22]  ² tn Or “regarded as.”

[44:22]  ³ tn Heb “like sheep of slaughtering,” that is, sheep destined for slaughter.

[44:23]  ⁴ sn Wake up! See Ps 35:23.

[44:24]  ⁵ 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]  ⁶ tn Or “forget.”

[44:24]  ⁷ tn Heb “our oppression and our affliction.”

[44:25]  ⁸ 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]  ⁹ tn Or “redeem us.” See Pss 25:22; 26:11; 69:18; 119:134.