Psalms 44:1
Translations
King James Version (KJV)
We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, what work you did in their days, in the times of old.
American King James Version (AKJV)
We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, what work you did in their days, in the times of old.
American Standard Version (ASV)
We have heard with our ears, O God, Our fathers have told us, What work thou didst in their days, In the days of old.
Basic English Translation (BBE)
<To the chief music-maker. Of the sons of Korah Maschil.> It has come to our ears, O God, our fathers have given us the story, of the works which you did in their days, in the old times,
Webster's Revision
To the chief Musician for the sons of Korah, Maschil. We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, what work thou didst in their days, in the times of old.
World English Bible
We have heard with our ears, God; our fathers have told us, what work you did in their days, in the days of old.
English Revised Version (ERV)
For the Chief Musician; a Psalm of the sons of Korah. Maschil. We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, what work thou didst in their days, in the days of old.
Clarke's Psalms 44:1 Bible Commentary
We have heard with our ears - The psalmist begins with recounting the marvellous interpositions of God in behalf of the Jewish people, that he might the better strengthen his confidence, and form a ground on which to build his expectation of additional help.
Barnes's Psalms 44:1 Bible Commentary
We have heard with our ears - That is, it has been handed down by tradition.
Our fathers have told us - Our ancestors. They have delivered it down from generation to generation. The word rendered "told" means properly to grave, or to insculp on a stone; and thence, to write. Then it comes to mean to number, to count, to recount, to tell, to declare. The word would be applicable to any method of making the thing known, either by hieroglyphic figures in sculpture, by writing, or by oral tradition, though it seems probable that the latter mode is particularly referred to here. Compare Exodus 10:2; Exodus 12:26-27.
What work thou didst in their days - The great work which thou didst accomplish for them; or, how thou didst interpose in their behalf. The reference is to what God accomplished for them in delivering them from Egyptian bondage, and bringing them into the land of Canaan.
In the times of old - In ancient times; in the beginning of our history. The idea here is, that we may properly appeal to the past - to what God has done in former ages - as an argument for his interposition in similar circumstances now, for,
(a) His former interposition showed his power to save;
(b) it was such an illustration of his character that we may appeal to that as a reason for asking him to interpose again.