Psalms 44:10-20

10 Thou makest us to turn back from the enemy, and we are spoiled by those who hate us.

11 Thou hast given us over like sheep appointed for food and hast scattered us among the Gentiles.

12 Thou hast sold thy people for nothing and dost not increase thy wealth by their price.

13 Thou makest us a reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and a derision to those that are round about us.

14 Thou makest us a byword among the Gentiles, a shaking of the head among the people.

15 My confusion is continually before me, and the shame of my face has covered me,

16 for the voice of him that reproaches and blasphemes by reason of the enemy and of the avenger.

17 All this is come upon us; yet we have not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falsely in thy covenant.

18 Our heart is not turned back, neither have our steps declined from thy way

19 though thou hast sore broken us in the place of dragons and covered us with the shadow of death.

20 If we have forgotten the name of our God or stretched out our hands to a strange god,

Psalms 44:10-20 Meaning and Commentary

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.