Psalm 44:3 For 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.

◄ Psalm 44:3 ►

New International Version
It was not by their sword that they won the land, nor did their arm bring them victory; it was your right hand, your arm, and the light of your face, for you loved them.

New Living Translation
They did not conquer the land with their swords; it was not their own strong arm that gave them victory. It was your right hand and strong arm and the blinding light from your face that helped them, for you loved them.

English Standard Version
for not by their own sword did they win the land, nor did their own arm save them, but your right hand and your arm, and the light of your face, for you delighted in them.

Berean Standard Bible
For 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.

King James Bible
For they got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them: but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour unto them.

New King James Version
For they did not gain possession of the land by their own sword, Nor did their own arm save them; But it was Your right hand, Your arm, and the light of Your countenance, Because You favored them.

New American Standard Bible
For by their own sword they did not possess the land, And their own arm did not save them, But Your right hand and Your arm and the light of Your presence, For You favored them.

NASB 1995
For by their own sword they did not possess the land, And their own arm did not save them, But Your right hand and Your arm and the light of Your presence, For You favored them.

NASB 1977
For by their own sword they did not possess the land; And their own arm did not save them; But Thy right hand, and Thine arm, and the light of Thy presence, For Thou didst favor them.

Legacy Standard Bible
For by their own sword they did not possess the land, And their own arm did not save them, But Your right hand and Your arm and the light of Your presence, For You favored them.

Amplified Bible
For our fathers did not possess the land [of Canaan] by their own sword, Nor did their own arm save them, But Your right hand and Your arm and the light of Your presence, Because You favored and delighted in them.

Christian Standard Bible
For they did not take the land by their sword — their arm did not bring them victory — but by your right hand, your arm, and the light of your face, because you were favorable toward them.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
For they did not take the land by their sword— their arm did not bring them victory— but by Your right hand, Your arm, and the light of Your face, for You were pleased with them.

American Standard Version
For they gat not the land in possession by their own sword, Neither did their own arm save them; But thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, Because thou wast favorable unto them.

Contemporary English Version
Their strength and weapons were not what won the land and gave them victory! You loved them and fought with your powerful arm and your shining glory.

English Revised Version
For they gat not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them: but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour unto them.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
It was not with their swords that they took possession of the land. They did not gain victory with their own strength. It was your right hand, your arm, and the light of your presence [that did it], because you were pleased with them.

Good News Translation
Your people did not conquer the land with their swords; they did not win it by their own power; it was by your power and your strength, by the assurance of your presence, which showed that you loved them.

International Standard Version
It was not with their sword that they inherited the land, nor did their own arm deliver them. But it was by your power, your strength, and by the light of your face; because you were pleased with them.

Majority Standard Bible
For 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.

NET Bible
For they did not conquer the land by their swords, and they did not prevail by their strength, but rather by your power, strength and good favor, for you were partial to them.

New Heart English Bible
For they did not get the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them; but your right hand, and your arm, and the light of your face, because you were favorable to them.

Webster's Bible Translation
For they obtained not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them: but thy right hand, and thy arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favor to them.

World English Bible
For they didn’t get the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them; but your right hand, your arm, and the light of your face, because you were favorable to them.

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
For they did not possess the land by their sword, "" And their arm did not give salvation to them, "" But Your right hand, and Your arm, "" And the light of Your countenance, "" Because You had accepted them.

Young's Literal Translation
For, not by their sword Possessed they the land, And their arm gave not salvation to them, But Thy right hand, and Thine arm, And the light of Thy countenance, Because Thou hadst accepted them.

Smith's Literal Translation
For by their sword they possessed not the land, and their arm saved them not: for thy right hand and thine arm, and the light of thy face, for thou didst delight in them.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
For they got not the possession of the land by their own sword : neither did their own arm save them. But thy right hand and thy arm, and the light of thy countenance : because thou wast pleased with them.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Your hand dispersed the Gentiles, and you transplanted them. You afflicted a people, and you expelled them.

New American Bible
Not with their own swords did they conquer the land, nor did their own arms bring victory; It was your right hand, your own arm, the light of your face for you favored them.

New Revised Standard Version
for not by their own sword did they win the land, nor did their own arm give them victory; but your right hand, and your arm, and the light of your countenance, for you delighted in them.

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
For they inherited not the land by their sword, neither did their own arm save them; but thy right hand and thine arm and the light of thy countenance, because thou wast pleased with them.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Because it was not by their sword that they inherited the land, neither their arms that saved them, but your right hand and your arm and the light of your face, for you were pleased with them.

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
For not by their own sword did they get the land in possession, Neither did their own arm save them; But Thy right hand, and Thine arm, and the light of Thy countenance, Because Thou wast favourable unto them.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
For they inherited not the land by their own sword, and their own arm did not deliver them; but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou wert well pleased in them.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

Redeem Us
…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.…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

Deuteronomy 4:37-38
Because He loved your fathers, He chose their descendants after them and brought you out of Egypt by His presence and great power, / to drive out before you nations greater and mightier than you, and to bring you into their land and give it to you for your inheritance, as it is this day.

Joshua 24:12-13
I sent the hornet ahead of you, and it drove out the two Amorite kings before you, but not by your own sword or bow. / So I gave you a land on which you did not toil and cities that you did not build, and now you live in them and eat from vineyards and olive groves that you did not plant.’

Exodus 15:6
Your right hand, O LORD, is majestic in power; Your right hand, O LORD, has shattered the enemy.

Nehemiah 9:24
So their descendants went in and possessed the land; You subdued before them the Canaanites dwelling in the land. You delivered into their hands the kings and peoples of the land, to do with them as they wished.

Isaiah 41:8-10
“But you, O Israel, My servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, descendant of Abraham My friend— / I brought you from the ends of the earth and called you from its farthest corners. I said, ‘You are My servant.’ I have chosen and not rejected you. / Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will surely help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.

1 Chronicles 29:12
Both riches and honor come from You, and You are the ruler over all. In Your hands are power and might to exalt and give strength to all.

Psalm 136:17-22
He struck down great kings His loving devotion endures forever. / and slaughtered mighty kings—His loving devotion endures forever. / Sihon king of the Amorites His loving devotion endures forever. ...

Psalm 77:15
With power You redeemed Your people, the sons of Jacob and Joseph. Selah

Psalm 78:54-55
He brought them to His holy land, to the mountain His right hand had acquired. / He drove out nations before them and apportioned their inheritance; He settled the tribes of Israel in their tents.

Psalm 80:8
You uprooted a vine from Egypt; You drove out the nations and transplanted it.

Isaiah 63:12-14
who sent His glorious arm to lead them by the right hand of Moses, who divided the waters before them to gain for Himself everlasting renown, / who led them through the depths like a horse in the wilderness, so that they did not stumble? / Like cattle going down to the valley, the Spirit of the LORD gave them rest. You led Your people this way to make for Yourself a glorious name.

Acts 7:45
And our fathers who received it brought it in with Joshua when they dispossessed the nations God drove out before them. It remained until the time of David,

Hebrews 11:29-30
By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to follow, they were drowned. / By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for seven days.

Romans 8:31
What then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

1 Corinthians 15:57
But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!

Treasury of Scripture

For they got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them: but your right hand, and your arm, and the light of your countenance, because you had a favor to them.

For

Deuteronomy 4:37,38
And because he loved thy fathers, therefore he chose their seed after them, and brought thee out in his sight with his mighty power out of Egypt; …

Deuteronomy 8:17,18
And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth…

Joshua 24:12
And I sent the hornet before you, which drave them out from before you, even the two kings of the Amorites; but not with thy sword, nor with thy bow.

thy right

Psalm 17:7
Shew thy marvellous lovingkindness, O thou that savest by thy right hand them which put their trust in thee from those that rise up against them.

Psalm 20:6
Now know I that the LORD saveth his anointed; he will hear him from his holy heaven with the saving strength of his right hand.

Psalm 74:11
Why withdrawest thou thy hand, even thy right hand? pluck it out of thy bosom.

light

Psalm 42:5,11
Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance…

Psalm 80:16
It is burned with fire, it is cut down: they perish at the rebuke of thy countenance.

because

Numbers 14:8
If the LORD delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey.

Deuteronomy 7:7,8
The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: …

1 Samuel 12:22
For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name's sake: because it hath pleased the LORD to make you his people.

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Arm Arms Countenance Delight Face Favor Favorable Favored Favour Favourable Gat Hadst Hand Kept Light Obtained Pleasure Possess Possession Presence Right Safe Save Sword Swords Theirs Victory Wast Win Won

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Psalm 44

1. The church, in memory of former favors
7. complains of her present evils
17. professing her integrity,
24. she fervently prays for helpfulness

Berean Study Bible

For it was not by their sword that they took the land
This phrase emphasizes the divine intervention in the victories of Israel. The Hebrew word for "sword" (חֶרֶב, chereb) often symbolizes human effort and military might. Historically, the Israelites' conquest of Canaan was not solely due to their own strength or military prowess. This reflects the broader biblical theme that God is the ultimate source of victory and success, reminding believers that reliance on God surpasses reliance on human means.

their arm did not bring them victory
The "arm" (זְרוֹעַ, zeroa) in Hebrew is a metaphor for strength and power. This phrase reinforces the idea that human strength was not the cause of their triumphs. In the ancient Near Eastern context, the arm was often associated with the might of warriors and kings. Theologically, this underscores the belief that God’s power is made perfect in human weakness, a theme echoed throughout Scripture.

it was by Your right hand
The "right hand" (יָמִין, yamin) is a symbol of power and authority in biblical literature. God's right hand signifies His active involvement and favor. In the ancient world, the right hand was often associated with skill and strength. This phrase assures believers of God’s personal involvement in the affairs of His people, providing them with strength and victory.

Your arm
Here, "Your arm" refers to God's power and might. Unlike human strength, God's arm is omnipotent and unfailing. This phrase is a reminder of the divine power that surpasses all human capabilities. It is a call to trust in God’s strength rather than our own, aligning with the biblical narrative of God as the ultimate deliverer.

and the light of Your face
The "light of Your face" (אוֹר פָּנֶיךָ, or panecha) symbolizes God’s favor and presence. In the ancient Near East, light was often associated with life, guidance, and divine presence. This phrase suggests that it is God’s favor and presence that bring success and blessing. It is an encouragement for believers to seek God’s face and favor in all endeavors.

because You delighted in them
The Hebrew root for "delighted" (רָצָה, ratsah) conveys pleasure and favor. This phrase highlights the covenant relationship between God and His people, where God’s actions are motivated by His love and delight in them. It reassures believers of God’s steadfast love and favor, which are not based on human merit but on His gracious choice. This is a profound reminder of the grace that underpins the relationship between God and His people.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(3) The light of thy countenance.--Notice the contrast to this in Psalm 44:24; in times of distress God's face seemed hidden or averted.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 3. - For they got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them (comp. Joshua 24:11, 12): but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour unto them (see Deuteronomy 4:37, 38; Joshua 24:11, 18).

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

For
כִּ֤י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

it was not
לֹ֪א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

by their sword
בְחַרְבָּ֡ם (ḇə·ḥar·bām)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 2719: Drought, a cutting instrument, as a, knife, sword

that they took
יָ֥רְשׁוּ (yā·rə·šū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 3423: To occupy, to seize, to rob, to inherit, to expel, to impoverish, to ruin

the land;
אָ֗רֶץ (’ā·reṣ)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 776: Earth, land

their arm
וּזְרוֹעָם֮ (ū·zə·rō·w·‘ām)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 2220: The arm, the foreleg, force

did not
לֹא־ (lō-)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

bring them victory;
הוֹשִׁ֪יעָ֫ה (hō·wō·šî·‘āh)
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 3467: To be open, wide, free, to be safe, to free, succor

it was
כִּֽי־ (kî-)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

by Your right hand,
יְמִֽינְךָ֣ (yə·mî·nə·ḵā)
Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 3225: The right hand, side, the south

Your arm,
וּ֭זְרוֹעֲךָ (ū·zə·rō·w·‘ă·ḵā)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 2220: The arm, the foreleg, force

and the light
וְא֥וֹר (wə·’ō·wr)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - common singular construct
Strong's 216: Illumination, luminary

of Your face;
פָּנֶ֗יךָ (pā·ne·ḵā)
Noun - common plural construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 6440: The face

for
כִּ֣י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

You delighted in them.
רְצִיתָֽם׃ (rə·ṣî·ṯām)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular | third person masculine plural
Strong's 7521: To be pleased with, to satisfy a, debt

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OT Poetry: Psalm 44:3 For they didn't get the land (Psalm Ps Psa.)