Psalms 44 KJV
A National Lament
About This Psalm
The nation is defeated despite being faithful. Why, God? Sometimes obedience doesn't prevent suffering - and that's confusing.
1e have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, what work thou didst in their days, in the times of old.
2 How thou didst drive out the heathen with thy hand, and plantedst them; how thou didst afflict the people, and cast them out.
3 For they got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them: but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour unto them.
4 Thou art my King, O God: command deliverances for Jacob.
5 Through thee will we push down our enemies: through thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us.
6 For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me.
7 But thou hast saved us from our enemies, and hast put them to shame that hated us.
8 In God we boast all the day long, and praise thy name for ever. Selah.
9 But thou hast cast off, and put us to shame; and goest not forth with our armies.
10 Thou makest us to turn back from the enemy: and they which hate us spoil for themselves.
11 Thou hast given us like sheep appointed for meat; and hast scattered us among the heathen.
12 Thou sellest thy people for nought, and dost not increase thy wealth by their price.
13 Thou makest us a reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and a derision to them that are round about us.
14 Thou makest us a byword among the heathen, a shaking of the head among the people.
15 My confusion is continually before me, and the shame of my face hath covered me,
16 For the voice of him that reproacheth and blasphemeth; by reason of the enemy and avenger.
17 All this is come upon us; yet have we 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;
21 Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart.
22 Yea, for thy sake are we killed all the day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter.
23 Awake, why sleepest thou, O Lord? arise, cast us not off for ever.
24 Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and forgettest our affliction and our oppression?
25 For our soul is bowed down to the dust: our belly cleaveth unto the earth.
26 Arise for our help, and redeem us for thy merciesโ sake.
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Did You Know?
The psalm's bold assertion of national innocence (vv. 17-21) creates a sharp theological tension with Deuteronomic retribution theology, implying that covenant loyalty offers no guarantee against national catastrophe.
Verse 22's phrase 'counted as sheep for the slaughter' is quoted verbatim by Paul in Romans 8:36, repurposing an Old Testament national lament to describe the sufferings of the early Christian community.
Unlike most communal laments that resolve with a vow of praise or renewed trust, Psalm 44 concludes with an unresolved cry, leaving the divine silence unaddressed and heightening its raw protest.
The imagery of God 'selling' his people 'for nought' (v. 12) ironically reverses Exodus redemption language, portraying the covenant Lord as acting like a bankrupt slave-trader rather than Israel's redeemer.
Attributed to the sons of Korah. Descendants of the rebel whose lineage was both judged and preserved for temple service. The psalm may subtly echo themes of divine mercy amid judgment through its very superscription.
Commentary & Study Notes
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown (1871) ยท Public Domain
Classic verse-by-verse commentary on Psalms 44 from Jamieson, Fausset & Brown (1871). Covers: In A Time Of Great National Distress, Probably In David's Reign, The Psalmist Recounts God's Gracious Dealings In Former Times, And The Confidence They Had Learned To Repose In Him. After A Vivid Picture Of Their Calamities, He Humbly Expostulates Against God's Apparent Forgetfulness, Reminding Him Of Their Faithfulness And Mourning Their Heavy Sorrows.
In A Time Of Great National Distress, Probably In David's Reign, The Psalmist Recounts God's Gracious Dealings In Former Times, And The Confidence They Had Learned To Repose In Him. After A Vivid Picture Of Their Calamities, He Humbly Expostulates Against God's Apparent Forgetfulness, Reminding Him Of Their Faithfulness And Mourning Their Heavy Sorrows v1-26
1-3. This period is that of the settlement of Canaan (Jos 24:12; Jud 6:3). have told--or, "related" (compare Ex 10:2). 2. plantedst them--that is, "our fathers," who are also, from the parallel construction of the last clause, to be regarded as the object of "cast them out," which means--literally, "send" them out, or, "extend them." Heathen and people denote the nations who were driven out to make room for the Israelites. 4. Thou art my King--literally, "he who is my King," sustaining the same covenant relation as to the "fathers." 5. The figure drawn from the habits of the ox. 6-8. God is not only our sole help, but only worthy of praise. 7. put . . . to shame--(compare Ps 6:10), disgraced. 8. thy name--as in Ps 5:11. 9. But--contrasting, cast off as abhorrent (Ps 43:2). goest not forth--literally, "will not go" (2Sa 5:23). In several consecutive verses the leading verb is future, and the following one past (in Hebrew), thus denoting the causes and effects. Thus (Ps 44:10-12), when defeated, spoiling follows; when delivered as sheep, dispersion follows, &c. 11. The Babylonian captivity not necessarily meant. There were others (compare 1Ki 8:46). 13, 14. (Compare De 28:37; Ps 79:4). 15. shame of . . . face--blushes in disgrace. 16. Its cause, the taunts and presence of malignant enemies (Ps 8:2). 17-19. They had not apostatized totally--were still God's people. 18. declined--turned aside from God's law. 19. sore broken--crushed. place of dragons--desolate, barren, rocky wilderness (Ps 63:10; Isa 13:22), shadow of death--(Compare Ps 23:4). 20, 21. A solemn appeal to God to witness their constancy. stretched out . . . hands--gesture of worship (Ex 9:29; Ps 88:9). 22. Their protracted sufferings as God's people attests the constancy. Paul (Ro 8:36) uses this to describe Christian steadfastness in persecution. 23-26. This style of addressing God, as indifferent, is frequent (Ps 3:7; 9:19; 13:1, &c.). However low their condition, God is appealed to, on the ground, and for the honor, of His mercy.