Day 9 : Morning Prayer

44 - Deus, auribus

1  We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us *
what you did in the days of old:
2  How you drove out the nations with your hand, and planted
  our fathers in the land; *
how you destroyed the nations and cast them out.
3  For they did not possess the land by their own sword, *
neither was it their own arm that helped them,
4  But by your right hand, and your arm, and the light
  of your countenance, *
because you favored them.
5  You are my King, O God; *
you send help to Jacob.
6  Through you we will overthrow our enemies, *
and in your Name will we tread down those who rise up 
against us.
7  For I will not trust in my bow; *
it is not my sword that shall help me;

8  But you save us from our enemies *
and put to shame those who hate us.
9  We make our boast in God all day long *
and will praise your Name for ever.
10  But now you have cast us off and put us to shame, *
and you do not go forth with our armies.
11  You make us turn our backs upon our enemies, *
so that those who hate us plunder our goods.
12  You let us be eaten up like sheep *
and have scattered us among the nations.
13  You sell your people for nothing *
and take no money for them.
14  You make us the reproach of our neighbors, *
to be laughed to scorn, and held in derision by those 
who are round about us.
15  You make us a byword among the nations, *
so that the peoples shake their heads at us.
16  My disgrace is daily before me, *
and the shame of my face has covered me,
17  Because of the voice of the slanderer and blasphemer, *
because of the enemy and avenger.
18  And though all this has come upon us, yet we do not
  forget you, *
nor have we been unfaithful to your covenant.
19  Our heart has not turned back, *
nor have our steps departed from your way,
20  Though you have crushed us in the haunt of jackals, *
and covered us with the shadow of death.
21  If we have forgotten the Name of our God, and held up
  our hands to any strange god, *
shall not God search it out? For he knows the very secrets 
of the heart.

22  For your sake we are killed all the day long, *
and are counted as sheep appointed to be slain.
23  Rise up, O Lord! Why are you sleeping? *
Awake, and cast us not away for ever.
24  Why do you hide your face *
and forget our misery and trouble?
25  For our soul is brought low, even to the dust; *
our belly cleaves to the ground.
26  Arise, O Lord, and help us, *
and deliver us for your mercy’s sake.