Psalms 44

Psalm 44#sn Psalm 44. The speakers in this psalm (the worshiping community within the nation Israel) were disappointed with God. The psalm begins on a positive note, praising God for leading Israel to past military victories. Verses 1-8 appear to be a song of confidence and petition which the people recited prior to battle. But suddenly the mood changes as the nation laments a recent defeat. The stark contrast between the present and the past only heightens the nation’s confusion. Israel trusted in God for victory, but the Lord rejected them and allowed them to be humiliated in battle. If Israel had been unfaithful to God, their defeat would make sense, but the nation was loyal to the Lord. Comparing the Lord to a careless shepherd, the nation urges God to wake up and to extend his compassion to his suffering people.

For the music director; by the Korahites, a well-written song.#tn The meaning of the Hebrew term מַשְׂכִּיל (maskil) is uncertain. See the note on the phrase “well-written song” in the superscription of Ps 42.

1O God, we have clearly heard; our ancestors have told us what you did in their days, in ancient times.

2You, by your power, defeated nations and settled our fathers on their land; you crushed the people living there and enabled our ancestors to occupy it.

3For 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.

4You are my king, O God! Decree Jacob’s deliverance!

5By your power we will drive back our enemies; by your strength we will trample down our foes!

6For I do not trust in my bow, and I do not prevail by my sword.

7For you deliver us from our enemies; you humiliate those who hate us.

8In God I boast all day long, and we will continually give thanks to your name. (Selah)

9But you rejected and embarrassed us! You did not go into battle with our armies.

10You made us retreat from the enemy. Those who hate us take whatever they want from us.

11You handed us over like sheep to be eaten; you scattered us among the nations.

12You sold your people for a pittance; you did not ask a high price for them.

13You made us an object of disdain to our neighbors; those who live on our borders taunt and insult us.

14You made us an object of ridicule among the nations; foreigners treat us with contempt.

15All day long I feel humiliated and am overwhelmed with shame,

16before the vindictive enemy who ridicules and insults me.

17All this has happened to us, even though we have not rejected you or violated your covenant with us.

18We have not been unfaithful, nor have we disobeyed your commands.

19Yet you have battered us, leaving us a heap of ruins overrun by wild dogs; you have covered us with darkness.

20If we had rejected our God, and spread out our hands in prayer to another god,

21would not God discover it, for he knows one’s thoughts?

22Yet because of you we are killed all day long; we are treated like sheep at the slaughtering block.

23Rouse yourself! Why do you sleep, O Lord? Wake up! Do not reject us forever!

24Why do you look the other way, and ignore the way we are oppressed and mistreated?

25For we lie in the dirt, with our bellies pressed to the ground.

26Rise up and help us! Rescue us because of your loyal love!