Verse

Psalm chapter 44

English Standard Version

1To the choirmaster. A Maskil of the Sons of Korah. O God, we have heard with our ears, our fathers have told us, what deeds you performed in their days, in the days of old: 2you with your own hand drove out the nations, but them you planted; you afflicted the peoples, but them you set free; 3for 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. 4You are my King, O God; ordain salvation for Jacob! 5Through you we push down our foes; through your name we tread down those who rise up against us. 6For not in my bow do I trust, nor can my sword save me. 7But you have saved us from our foes and have put to shame those who hate us. 8In God we have boasted continually, and we will give thanks to your name forever. Selah 9But you have rejected us and disgraced us and have not gone out with our armies. 10You have made us turn back from the foe, and those who hate us have gotten spoil. 11You have made us like sheep for slaughter and have scattered us among the nations. 12You have sold your people for a trifle, demanding no high price for them. 13You have made us the taunt of our neighbors, the derision and scorn of those around us. 14You have made us a byword among the nations, a laughingstock among the peoples. 15All day long my disgrace is before me, and shame has covered my face 16at the sound of the taunter and reviler, at the sight of the enemy and the avenger. 17All this has come upon us, though we have not forgotten you, and we have not been false to your covenant. 18Our heart has not turned back, nor have our steps departed from your way; 19yet you have broken us in the place of jackals and covered us with the shadow of death. 20If we had forgotten the name of our God or spread out our hands to a foreign god, 21would not God discover this? For he knows the secrets of the heart. 22Yet for your sake we are killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered. 23Awake! Why are you sleeping, O Lord? Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever! 24Why do you hide your face? Why do you forget our affliction and oppression? 25For our soul is bowed down to the dust; our belly clings to the ground. 26Rise up; come to our help! Redeem us for the sake of your steadfast love!
New International Version

New American Standard Bible

1 God, we have heard with our ears, Our fathers have told us The work that You did in their days, In the days of old. 2You with Your own hand drove out the nations; Then You planted them; You afflicted the peoples, Then You let them go free. 3For 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. 4You are my King, God; Command victories for Jacob. 5Through You we will push back our adversaries; Through Your name we will trample down those who rise up against us. 6For I will not trust in my bow, Nor will my sword save me. 7But You have saved us from our adversaries, And You have put to shame those who hate us. 8In God we have boasted all day long, And we will give thanks to Your name forever. Selah 9Yet You have rejected us and brought us to dishonor, And do not go out with our armies. 10You cause us to turn back from the enemy; And those who hate us have taken spoils for themselves. 11You turn us over to be eaten like sheep, And have scattered us among the nations. 12You sell Your people cheaply, And have not profited by their sale. 13You make us an object of reproach to our neighbors, Of scoffing and ridicule to those around us. 14You make us a proverb among the nations, A laughingstock among the peoples. 15All day long my dishonor is before me And I am covered with my humiliation, 16Because of the voice of one who taunts and reviles, Because of the presence of the enemy and the avenger. 17All this has come upon us, but we have not forgotten You, And we have not dealt falsely with Your covenant. 18Our heart has not turned back, And our steps have not deviated from Your way, 19Yet You have crushed us in a place of jackals And covered us with deep darkness. 20If we had forgotten the name of our God Or extended our hands to a strange god, 21Would God not find this out? For He knows the secrets of the heart. 22But for Your sake we are killed all day long; We are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered. 23Wake Yourself up, why do You sleep, Lord? Awake, do not reject us forever. 24Why do You hide Your face And forget our affliction and oppression? 25For our souls have sunk down into the dust; Our bodies cling to the earth. 26Rise up, be our help, And redeem us because of Your mercy.
Christian Standard Bible

New Living Translation

King James Version

What does Psalm chapter 44 mean?

This psalm implies Israel was recovering from an especially embarrassing defeat. No explicit event is mentioned. However, various clues in the text suggest an incident with Edom. There, Israel was surprised and battered by their enemies while the main army was occupied elsewhere (Psalm 60; 85; Amos 1:6; 2 Samuel 8:13). Since no other details are offered, connecting this passage to its inspiration is mere speculation.

The psalmist begins by acknowledging that God was responsible for Israel's great victories in the past. Tales of these triumphs were passed down from generation to generation. They were also recorded in books such as Exodus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, and Joshua. There is no question in the writer's mind that the Lord deserves praise for those events. For the same reason, the writer notes that any success he might have in the future will depend on God's power, not his own (Psalm 44:1–8).

However, the Lord has allowed Israel to suffer defeat. In fact, this loss has shattered the psalmist's confidence. The people are subject to shame, ridicule, and taunting from their enemies. The situation is so dire that the name of Israel is being used as a punchline: a joke referring to their current situation. The psalmist experiences humiliation and embarrassment and feels God had completely abandoned them during the recent debacle (Psalm 44:9–16).

Making matters worse, the psalmist sees no reason for this defeat. Israel had been defeated in the past when they ignored God or His commands (Numbers 14:39–45). God promised that idolatry and other national sins would lead to negative consequences (Deuteronomy 30:15–18). Yet the psalmist is convinced Israel is guilty of no such sins. The writer does not go as far as to claim that the nation is perfectly following the Law. Yet he insists the people are loyal to God, not false idols. The psalmist agonizes to think that God has allowed such suffering, though Israel has not been disloyal. In the New Testament (Romans 8:36), Paul cites verse 22 when teaching that suffering does not imply God has ceased to love His people (Psalm 44:17–22).

Scripture often records statements of raw, unfiltered anguish towards God (Habakkuk 1:2–4; Psalm 73:2–3). These can be uncomfortable, but always return to an acknowledgement of the Lord's goodness and truth (Habakkuk 1:5–11; Psalm 73:15–19; Job 13:15). Verse 23 repeatedly suggests God is uncaring or oblivious to their pain, using the metaphor of being asleep. The writer employs the question human beings ask amid suffering: "why?" Despite that angst, the psalmist prays for God's help. The final statement of the psalm is a reference to God's unending love and loyal care for His people. Despite his pain, the psalmist still prays to the Lord, whom he assumes will come to the rescue (Psalm 44:23–26).
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