Psalms 44

1 With our own ears we have heard it, O God - our ancestors have told us about it, about the great things you did in their time, in the days of long ago:

2 how you yourself drove out the heathen and established your people in their land; how you punished the other nations and caused your own to prosper.

3 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.

4 You are my king and my God; you give victory to your people,

5 and by your power we defeat our enemies.

6 I do not trust in my bow or in my sword to save me;

7 but you have saved us from our enemies and defeated those who hate us.

8 We will always praise you and give thanks to you forever.

9 But now you have rejected us and let us be defeated; you no longer march out with our armies.

10 You made us run from our enemies, and they took for themselves what was ours.

11 You allowed us to be slaughtered like sheep; you scattered us in foreign countries.

12 You sold your own people for a small price as though they had little value.

13 Our neighbors see what you did to us, and they mock us and laugh at us.

14 You have made us a joke among the nations; they shake their heads at us in scorn.

15 I am always in disgrace; I am covered with shame

16 from hearing the sneers and insults of my enemies and those who hate me.

17 All this has happened to us, even though we have not forgotten you or broken the covenant you made with us.

18 We have not been disloyal to you; we have not disobeyed your commands.

19 Yet you left us helpless among wild animals; you abandoned us in deepest darkness.

20 If we had stopped worshiping our God and prayed to a foreign god,

21 you would surely have discovered it, because you know our secret thoughts.

22 But it is on your account that we are being killed all the time, ¹ that we are treated like sheep to be slaughtered.

23 Wake up, Lord! Why are you asleep? Rouse yourself! Don't reject us forever!

24 Why are you hiding from us? Don't forget our suffering and trouble!

25 We fall crushed to the ground; we lie defeated in the dust.

26 Come to our aid! Because of your constant love save us!

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. 44.22Romans 8.36.

Footnotes

• [a]. [Some ancient translations] and my God; you give; [Hebrew] O God; give.
• [b]. as . . . value; [or] and made no profit from the sale.

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.