Psalms 44

1 O God, we have heard with our ears, ¹our fathers have told us, what deeds you performed in their days, ²in the days of old:

2 you with your own hand ³drove out the nations, but ⁴them you planted; you afflicted the peoples, but ⁵them you set free;

3 for not ⁶by their own sword did they win the land, nor did their own arm save them, but your right hand and your arm, and ⁷the light of your face, ⁸for you delighted in them.

4 ⁹You are my King, O God; ¹⁰ordain salvation for Jacob!

5 Through you we ¹¹push down our foes; through your name we ¹²tread down those who rise up against us.

6 For not in ¹³my bow do I trust, nor can my sword save me.

7 But you have saved us from our foes and have ¹⁴put to shame those who hate us.

8 ¹⁵In God we have boasted continually, and we will give thanks to your name forever. Selah

9 But you have ¹⁶rejected us and disgraced us and ¹⁷have not gone out with our armies.

10 You have made us ¹⁸turn back from the foe, and those who hate us have gotten spoil.

11 You have made us like ¹⁹sheep for slaughter and have ²⁰scattered us among the nations.

12 ²¹You have sold your people for a trifle, demanding no high price for them.

13 You have made us ²²the taunt of our neighbors, the derision and ²³scorn of those around us.

14 You have made us ²⁴a byword among the nations, ²⁵a laughingstock^[a] among the peoples.

15 All day long my disgrace is before me, and ²⁶shame has covered my face

16 at the sound of the taunter and reviler, at the sight of ²⁷the enemy and the avenger.

17 ²⁸All this has come upon us, though we have not forgotten you, and we have not been false to your covenant.

18 Our heart has not turned back, nor have our ²⁹steps ³⁰departed from your way;

19 yet you have ³¹broken us in the place of ³²jackals and covered us with ³³the shadow of death.

20 If we had forgotten the name of our God or ³⁴spread out our hands to ³⁵a foreign god,

21 ³⁶would not God discover this? ³⁷For he knows the secrets of the heart.

22 Yet ³⁸for your sake we are killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.

23 ³⁹Awake! Why are you sleeping, O Lord? Rouse yourself! ⁴⁰Do not reject us forever!

24 Why ⁴¹do you hide your face? Why do you forget our affliction and oppression?

25 For our ⁴²soul is bowed down to the dust; our belly clings to the ground.

26 Rise up; ⁴³come to our help! ⁴⁴Redeem us for the sake of your steadfast love!

Psalms 44 Commentary

Chapter 44

A petition for succour and relief.

Verses 1-8 Former experiences of God's power and goodness are strong supports to faith, and powerful pleas in prayer under present calamities. The many victories Israel obtained, were not by their own strength or merit, but by God's favour and free grace. The less praise this allows us, the more comfort it affords, that we may see all as coming from the favour of God. He fought for Israel, else they had fought in vain. This is applicable to the planting of the Christian church in the world, which was not by any human policy or power. Christ, by his Spirit, went forth conquering and to conquer; and he that planted a church for himself in the world, will support it by the same power and goodness. They trusted and triumphed in and through him. Let him that glories, glory in the Lord. But if they have the comfort of his name, let them give unto him the glory due unto it.

Verses 9-16 The believer must have times of temptation, affliction, and discouragement; the church must have seasons of persecution. At such times the people of God will be ready to fear that he has cast them off, and that his name and truth will be dishonoured. But they should look above the instruments of their trouble, to God, well knowing that their worst enemies have no power against them, but what is permitted from above.

Verses 17-26 In afflictions, we must not seek relief by any sinful compliance; but should continually meditate on the truth, purity, and knowledge of our heart-searching God. Hearts sins and secret sins are known to God, and must be reckoned for. He knows the secret of the heart, therefore judges of the words and actions. While our troubles do not drive us from our duty to God, we should not suffer them to drive us from our comfort in God. Let us take care that prosperity and ease do not render us careless and lukewarm. The church of God cannot be prevailed on by persecution to forget God; the believer's heart does not turn back from God. The Spirit of prophecy had reference to those who suffered unto death, for the testimony of Christ. Observe the ( psalms 44:25-26 ) but the poor sinner's pleas. None that belong to Christ shall be cast off, but every one of them shall be saved, and that for ever. The mercy of God, purchased, promised, and constantly flowing forth, and offered to believers, does away every doubt arising from our sins; while we pray in faith, Redeem us for thy mercies' sake.

Cross References

• 1. Psalms 78:3; Exodus 10:2; Exodus 12:26, 27; Exodus 13:8, 14, 15; Judges 6:13; See Deuteronomy 6:20-23
• 2. See Psalms 77:5
• 3. Psalms 78:55; Psalms 80:8; Joshua 3:10
• 4. Exodus 15:17; 2 Samuel 7:10
• 5. Psalms 80:9-11; [Jeremiah 17:8]
• 6. Joshua 24:12; Hosea 1:7
• 7. See Psalms 4:6
• 8. Deuteronomy 4:37; Deuteronomy 7:7, 8; Deuteronomy 10:15
• 9. Psalms 74:12
• 10. See Psalms 42:8
• 11. [Deuteronomy 33:17; Daniel 8:4]
• 12. Psalms 60:12
• 13. [Psalms 33:16; 1 Samuel 17:47]
• 14. See Psalms 35:4
• 15. See Psalms 34:2
• 16. ver. 23; Psalms 43:2; Psalms 60:1, 10; Psalms 74:1; Psalms 108:11; See Psalms 89:38-45
• 17. [Judges 4:14; 2 Samuel 5:24]
• 18. Leviticus 26:17; Deuteronomy 28:25; Joshua 7:8, 12
• 19. [ver. 22]
• 20. Psalms 106:27; Leviticus 26:33; Deuteronomy 4:27; Deuteronomy 28:64; Isaiah 52:3; Ezekiel 20:23; [John 7:35; 1 Peter 1:1]
• 21. [Deuteronomy 32:30; Judges 2:14; Judges 3:8; Jeremiah 15:13]
• 22. Psalms 39:8; Psalms 79:4; Psalms 89:41; Psalms 119:22; [Nehemiah 2:17]
• 23. [Psalms 80:6]
• 24. Jeremiah 24:9; See Job 17:6
• 25. See Job 16:4
• 26. 2 Chronicles 32:21
• 27. Psalms 8:2
• 28. Daniel 9:13
• 29. Psalms 37:31
• 30. Psalms 119:51, 157; Job 23:11
• 31. Psalms 51:8
• 32. See Job 30:29
• 33. See Job 3:5
• 34. Psalms 68:31; Job 11:13
• 35. See Psalms 81:9
• 36. Psalms 139:1; Jeremiah 17:10
• 37. [John 2:25; Hebrews 4:13]
• 38. ver. 11; Cited Romans 8:36
• 39. See Psalms 35:23
• 40. ver. 9
• 41. See Job 13:24
• 42. Psalms 119:25
• 43. Psalms 63:7
• 44. See Psalms 25:22

Footnotes

• [a]. Hebrew a shaking of the head

Chapter Summary

To the chief Musician for the sons of Korah, Maschil. It is not certain who was the writer of this psalm, nor when it was written, and to what time it belongs: some have thought it was composed by one of the Babylonish captivity, and that it gives an account of the church and people of God in those times; but what is said in Psalm 44:17 does not seem to agree with Daniel 9:5. It is most likely it was written by David, and to him the Targum ascribes it; though it does not respect his times; since what is said in Psalm 44:9 cannot agree with them; yet he being a prophet might, under a prophetic influence, speak of future times, and represent the church in them. Some are of opinion that he prophetically speaks of the times of the Maccabees and of Antiochus, when the church and people of God suffered much for the true religion, and abode steadfast in it; so Theodoret: but rather the whole may be applied to the times of the New Testament, since Psalm 44:22 is cited by the Apostle Paul, Romans 8:36, and is applied to his times, and as descriptive of the suffering state and condition of the church then; and which seems to be the guide and key for the opening of the whole psalm.