Discovery BoxPsalms 44:9-14 
Context44:9 But 1 you rejected and embarrassed us!
You did not go into battle with our armies. 2
44:10 You made us retreat 3 from the enemy.
Those who hate us take whatever they want from us. 4
44:11 You handed us 5 over like sheep to be eaten;
you scattered us among the nations.
44:12 You sold 6 your people for a pittance; 7
you did not ask a high price for them. 8
44:13 You made us 9 an object of disdain to our neighbors;
those who live on our borders taunt and insult us. 10
44:14 You made us 11 an object of ridicule 12 among the nations;
foreigners treat us with contempt. 13
1 tn The particle אַף (’af, “but”) is used here as a strong adversative contrasting the following statement with what precedes.
2 tn Heb “you did not go out with our armies.” The prefixed verbal form is a preterite (without vav [ו] consecutive).
3 tn Heb “you caused us to turn backward.”
4 tn Heb “plunder for themselves.” The prepositional phrase לָמוֹ (lamo, “for themselves”) here has the nuance “at their will” or “as they please” (see Ps 80:6).
5 tn The prefixed verbal form is a preterite (without vav [ו] consecutive).
6 tn The prefixed verbal form is a preterite (without vav [ו] consecutive).
7 tn Heb “for what is not wealth.”
8 tn Heb “you did not multiply their purchase prices.”
9 tn The prefixed verbal form is a preterite (without vav [ו] consecutive).
10 tn Heb “an [object of] taunting and [of] mockery to those around us.”
11 tn The prefixed verbal form is a preterite (without vav [ו] consecutive).
12 tn Heb “a proverb,” or “[the subject of] a mocking song.”
13 tn Heb “a shaking of the head among the peoples.” Shaking the head was a derisive gesture (see Jer 18:16; Lam 2:15).
