As I write this, there is turmoil in Israel. It seems this very psalm is coming to life again. There are protests in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem (see the videos below). Unmistakably, when a nation’s people turn away from God, they suffer the consequences. This is what happens when they don’t learn from their history. Pay attention to this psalm — this prayer of desperation. Let’s dig in…
Psalm 44
For the choir director: A maskill of the descendants of Korah.
1 O God, we have heard it with our own ears—
our ancestors have told us
of all you did in their day,
in days long ago:
2 You drove out the pagan nations by your power
and gave all the land to our ancestors.
You crushed their enemies
and set our ancestors free.
3 They did not conquer the land with their swords;
it was not their own strong arm that gave them victory.
It was your right hand and strong arm
and the blinding light from your face that helped them,
for you loved them.4 You are my King and my God.
You command victories for Israel.
5 Only by your power can we push back our enemies;
only in your name can we trample our foes.
6 I do not trust in my bow;
I do not count on my sword to save me.
7 You are the one who gives us victory over our enemies;
you disgrace those who hate us.
8 O God, we give glory to you all day long
and constantly praise your name. …..Selah9 But now you have tossed us aside in dishonor.
You no longer lead our armies to battle.
10 You make us retreat from our enemies
and allow those who hate us to plunder our land.
11 You have butchered us like sheep
and scattered us among the nations.
12 You sold your precious people for a pittance,
making nothing on the sale.
13 You let our neighbors mock us.
We are an object of scorn and derision to those around us.
14 You have made us the butt of their jokes;
they shake their heads at us in scorn.
15 We can’t escape the constant humiliation;
shame is written across our faces.
16 All we hear are the taunts of our mockers.
All we see are our vengeful enemies.17 All this has happened though we have not forgotten you.
We have not violated your covenant.
18 Our hearts have not deserted you.
We have not strayed from your path.
19 Yet you have crushed us in the jackal’s desert home.
You have covered us with darkness and death.
20 If we had forgotten the name of our God
or spread our hands in prayer to foreign gods,
21 God would surely have known it,
for he knows the secrets of every heart.
22 But for your sake we are killed every day;
we are being slaughtered like sheep.23 Wake up, O Lord! Why do you sleep?
Psalm 44 NLT
Get up! Do not reject us forever.
24 Why do you look the other way?
Why do you ignore our suffering and oppression?
25 We collapse in the dust,
lying face down in the dirt.
26 Rise up! Help us!
Ransom us because of your unfailing love.
Points to Ponder
- If we don’t learn from history, we are doomed to repeat it. Obviously, this was a problem for the Israelites back then and it continues to this day.
- The psalmist acknowledges that the conquest of Canaan was not with swords, but by God’s power.
- Additionally, he reminds the people that God gave them victory over their enemies — to not put their trust in weapons.
- Unfortunately, the Israelites turned away from God. Which is what is going on right now. Today, Israel is a secular nation. They don’t put God first.
- Because the ancient Israelites abandoned God, God abandoned them. They started worshiping the faked gods of their pagan neighbors and forgot the True God who saved them in the past.
- Now, Jews are scattered among the nations.
- Today, their adversaries, Russia, Syria, Iran and others mock them.
- Instead of protesting, they should be on their knees praying to God.
God Knows Your Heart
Consequently, God knows the secrets of all our hearts. He knows when you trust Him only with your problems and when you think you can take care of it yourself. Furthermore, He knows when you’re thinking good things and when you’re considering evil things. Therefore, since you cannot hide any thoughts from God, why do you even bother? If you haven’t already, it’s time to surrender your whole life to Him.
Obviously, modern Israel, as a nation, turned away from God.
We can pray…
You, Jesus, are my King and my God. Only You command victories for Israel.
Only by your power can Israel push back their enemies; only in your name can they trample their foes.Israel, do not trust in your planes; do not count on your weapons to save you. God is the only one who gives you victory over your enemies and disgraces those who hate you.
O God, we give glory to you all day long and constantly praise your name.
Awake, Lord! Why do you sleep? Rouse yourself! Do not reject Israel forever. Why do you hide your face and forget their misery and oppression?
Lord, rise up and help Israel; rescue them because of your unfailing love.
Paraphrase on Psalm 44 by Giselle Aguiar
We can’t forget the Gospel…
Here is some insight from Spoken Gospel…
Like Israel, Jesus enjoyed God’s loving favor in his life (Matthew 3:17). God’s powerful arm gave him victory. His miracles plundered demons of their human captives and freed people from the bondage of sickness and death. Jesus, the true Israelite, won victories for God through the power of God.
And like Israel’s innocent few, Jesus never forgot God’s law or strayed into disobedience. But just like that faithful remnant, Jesus was also defeated and plundered by enemies due to no fault of his own. Like a sheep branded for slaughter, Jesus was consigned to the shame and disgrace of crucifixion (Isaiah 53:7). His exile wasn’t among the nations but among the dead.
Israel’s faithful few asked God to wake up, resurrect, and redeem Israel because of his love and their innocence. And Jesus answered their prayers. In Jesus’ resurrection God woke from sleep and redeemed His people in unfailing love. And surprisingly, through the death of Jesus as the truly innocent one, God also finds a way to smile not just on the innocent few but on the many guilty (Isaiah 53:12). Jesus’ resurrection is greater than a military victory. Death, exile, and sin are crushed forever by Jesus’ resurrection. He plants all his people in a new land of eternal flourishing, redemption, and love.
Spoken Gospel
Are YOU part of the “Faithful Few”?
Do you pray regularly? Do you pray with the right attitude? Who do you trust? You can’t put your faith in a country, in a government leader, in a church, in a priest or pope. NO! You must trust in the LORD ONLY!
Putting your complete faith in God begins with having a personal relationship with Him. See, Jesus didn’t suffer torture and die on the cross so that we could have religion! NO! He died so He could have a RELATIONSHIP with YOU!
Isn’t it about time you let Him in?
