What does Psalm 44:23 mean?

Scripture acknowledges that human experience can be hard; often, suffering convinces us God is unfair (Habakkuk 1:2–4; Psalm 73:2–3). This is another example of raw human emotion expressed honestly. Other calls for God to "awake" are less direct and more poetic, as a plea for God to act (Psalm 35:23). Here, the idea is repeated twice, emphasizing the psalmist's anguished sense that God does not care. Instead of enabling victory (Psalm 44:1–8), God has allowed Israel to be humiliated (Psalm 44:9–16), though the psalmist insists they have not sinned to deserve it (Psalm 44:17–22).

Of course, the Lord was not sleeping. Psalm 121:4 promises, "Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep." Even in deep pain, the psalmist recognizes this. He refers to God using the term Adōnā'y, or Adonai, literally meaning "master." Psalm 97:5 acknowledges that He is "Lord [Adonai] of all the earth." As owner and master of everything, the Lord could be trusted to bring good out the humiliating defeat Israel had suffered at the hands of her enemy. The following verses still express confusion and pain—yet they are grounded in a belief in God's steadfast love (Psalm 44:24–26).