Psalms
Summary
Psalm 44 is a communal lament, reflecting a time when Israel suffered national defeat despite their continued faithfulness to God's covenant. It begins by recalling God's great works for their "ancestors" in the past, but sharply contrasts that with their current state of being "scattered among the nations." The psalmist maintains that they have not "forgotten the name of our God" and provides a heart-wrenching description of being "sheep for the slaughter." The psalm ends with a desperate cry for God to "awake" and "arise for our help," pleading for redemption based on His unfailing love.
We have heard with our ears, O God; our ancestors have told us what you did in their days, in days of old.
With your hand you drove out the nations and planted our fathers; you crushed the peoples and made our fathers flourish.
It was not by their sword that they won the land, nor did their arm bring them victory; it was your right hand, your arm, and the light of your face, for you favoured them.
You are my King and my God, who decrees victories for Jacob.
Through you we push back our enemies; through your name we trample our foes.
I put no trust in my bow, my sword does not bring me victory;
but you give us victory over our enemies, you put our adversaries to shame.
In God we make our boast all day long, and we will praise your name for ever. Selah.
But now you have rejected and humbled us; you no longer go out with our armies.
You made us retreat before the enemy, and our adversaries have plundered us.
You gave us up to be devoured like sheep and have scattered us among the nations.
You sold your people for a pittance, gaining nothing from their sale.
You have made us a reproach to our neighbours, the scorn and derision of those around us.
You have made us a byword among the nations; the peoples shake their heads at us.
I live in disgrace all day long, and my face is covered with shame
at the taunts of those who reproach and revile me, because of the enemy, who is bent on revenge.
All this came upon us, though we had not forgotten you; we had not been false to your covenant.
Our hearts had not turned back; our feet had not strayed from your path.
But you crushed us and made us a haunt of jackals and covered us with deep darkness.
If we had forgotten the name of our God or spread out our hands to a foreign god,
would not God have discovered it, since he knows the secrets of the heart?
Yet for your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.
Awake, Lord! Why do you sleep? Rouse yourself! Do not reject us for ever.
Why do you hide your face and forget our misery and oppression?
We are brought down to the dust; our bodies cling to the ground.
Rise up and help us; rescue us because of your unfailing love.