Psalms 44 DBY
Summary: A communal lament, Psalm 44 opens by recalling the conquest generation, "our fathers have told us" how God drove out the nations and planted Israel (v. 1-2), then sharply contrasts that remembered victory with a present, bewildering military defeat despite the community's fidelity to the covenant. The psalmists insist "our heart has not turned back... yet you have broken us" (v. 18-19), refusing the easy explanation that suffering proves sin. It closes with one of the boldest protests in the Psalter, "for your sake we are killed all the day long" (v. 22), a verse Paul quotes in Romans 8.
1To the chief Musician. Of the sons of Korah. An instruction. OGod, with our ears have we heard, our fathers have told us, the work thou wroughtest in their days, in the days of old:
2Thou, by thy hand, didst dispossess the nations, but them thou didst plant; thou didst afflict the peoples, but them didst thou cause to spread out.
3For not by their own sword did they take possession of the land, neither did their own arm save them; but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst delight in them.
4Thou thyself art my king, OGod: command deliverance for Jacob.
5Through thee will we push down our adversaries; through thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us.
6For I will not put confidence in my bow, neither shall my sword save me.
7For thou hast saved us from our adversaries, and hast put them to shame that hate us.
8InGod will we boast all the day, and we will praise thy name for ever. Selah.
9But thou hast cast off, and put us to confusion, and dost not go forth with our armies;
10Thou hast made us to turn back from the adversary, and they that hate us spoil for themselves;
11Thou hast given us over like sheep [appointed] for meat, and hast scattered us among the nations;
12Thou hast sold thy people for nought, and hast not increased [thy wealth] by their price;
13Thou makest us a reproach to our neighbours, a mockery and a derision for them that are round about us;
14Thou makest us a byword among the nations, a shaking of the head among the peoples.
15All the day my confusion is before me, and the shame of my face hath covered me,
16Because of the voice of him that reproacheth and blasphemeth; by reason of the enemy and the avenger.
17All this is come upon us; yet have we not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falsely against thy covenant:
18Our heart is not turned back, neither have our steps declined from thy path;
19Though thou hast crushed us in the place of jackals, and covered us with the shadow of death.
20If we had forgotten the name of ourGod, and stretched out our hands to a strangegod,
21Would notGod search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart.
22But for thy sake are we killed all the day long; we are reckoned as sheep for slaughter.
23Awake, why sleepest thou, Lord? arise, cast [us] not off for ever.
24Wherefore hidest thou thy face, [and] forgettest our affliction and our oppression?
25For our soul is bowed down to the dust; our belly cleaveth unto the earth.
26Rise up for our help, and redeem us for thy loving-kindness' sake.
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