Psalms 44

The Jewish people sang praises to God after their great victories (Ex. 15; Judg, 5), but this psalm was sung after a humiliating defeat (vv. 9–14, 22). The parallels between Psalms 44 and 60 suggest that Edom and the Arameans were the enemies involved (44:3/60:5; 44:5/60:12; 44:9, 23/60:1, 10). (See 2 Sam. 8, 10; 1 Chron. 18.) Although Israel finally won great victories over their enemies, there must have been some defeats along the way that greatly disturbed the people. After all, Jehovah was their King (v. 4) and had enabled Israel to conquer the land; so why would He desert His people as they sought to protect their inheritance? Perhaps this psalm was used at a national “day of prayer” with a worship leader speaking the “I/my” verses and the people the “we/our” verses. The four stanzas that make up this psalm reveal four different attitudes on the part of the people.

Reviewing Israel’s history since the exodus from Egypt, the writer glorified God for all He did to defeat the Canaanite nations and enable Israel to claim their inheritance (v. 8). The Jewish parents were faithful to obey God and tell their children and grandchildren what the Lord had done (see 78:3; Ex. 12:26–27; 13:8, 14; Deut. 6:1ff.; 32:7; Josh. 4:6, 21). God had rooted out the godless nations, planted Israel in the land, and enabled the nation to take root and grow (80:8–11; Ex. 15:17; Isa. 5). All of this was done, not because Israel deserved it, but because of God’s love and grace (Deut. 4:34–37; 7:7–9, 19; 8:17; 9:4–6; 26:8–9). God’s power gave the victory and His countenance smiled upon His people (4:6; 31:16; 80:3, 7, 19). The psalmist affirmed that Jehovah was still their King (v. 4; 10:16; 29:10; 47:6; 74:12) and could easily command (decree) victories for His people. The nation wanted no glory for itself; they wanted the Lord to receive all the glory.

But the people were perplexed. If God gave them the land in His grace and enabled them to defeat their enemies, why was He now forsaking them and allowing the idolatrous nations to win the victories? For many years, the Lord had been the “invisible warrior” who went before the Jewish armies and led them to victory (Josh. 5:13–15; 6:6; Num. 10:35; 2 Sam. 11:11), but now He seemed to have forsaken His people and abandoned His covenant. Israel was God’s precious flock (74:1; 77:20; 80:1; 100:3; Num. 27:17; Ezek. 34), but He was permitting them to be slaughtered by the enemy and treated as worthless (Judg. 2:14; 3:8; 4:2, 9). Those prisoners of war who weren’t slain were sold as slaves and scattered among the neighboring pagan nations. These nations rejoiced that Israel had been humiliated by defeat, and they taunted and ridiculed the Jews. It was a dark day for the people of God, and they could not understand what the Lord was accomplishing. (See 42:10; 74:10, 18, 22; 79:4, 12.) Dishonor and disgrace brought the people to the place of submission and intercession.

Whenever there was trouble in Israel, the first explanation was usually “Somebody has sinned.” Certainly this was true when Israel was defeated at Ai (Josh. 7), when there was a three-year famine in David’s time (2 Sam. 21), and when David numbered the people (2 Sam. 24). But as far as the psalmist knew, there was no sin to be confessed because the people were faithful to the Lord. God could search their minds and hearts and not find any breach of the covenant. They were faithful to God, they had not turned to the idols for help, and now they were giving their lives to protect the land that He had so graciously given them.

Paul quoted verse 11 in Romans 8: as part of his magnificent argument that nothing could separate God’s people from His love, not even defeat after a record of victories! The principle is the same for both God’s old covenant people and His new covenant people: those who give their lives in His cause are conquerors, not victims, and God can be glorified even in seeming defeat. When the five young men gave their lives in Ecuador to help reach the Auca Indians, many people asked, “Why this waste?” But what looked like terrible defeat turned out to be glorious victory as many young people around the world felt the call of God and surrendered to serve Him. Israel’s defeat didn’t mean that God loved them less; it meant that He was permitting this to happen so that He could carry out a purpose known only to Him. Like the martyrdom of Stephen (Acts 6:9—8:3), Israel’s defeat gave their enemies further opportunity to come to know the Lord. Saul of Tarsus was greatly moved by Stephen’s death (Acts 22:17–21), and this undoubtedly helped to prepare him for his meeting with Christ on the Damascus Road. No matter how their lives may end, God’s servants never die like beasts, for “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints” (116: nkjv).

In verse 23, the writer used the name “Adonai” (Lord) when speaking to God. This is the name that declares that He is Owner and Master of all, including the nations of the world. It is sometimes translated “Sovereign Lord” (Adonai Jehovah; 2 Sam. 7:18–20 niv). He is “Lord [Adonai] of all the earth” (97:5), and the earth should tremble “at the presence of the Lord [Adonai]” (114:7). The psalmist came to the place where he knew he could trust God to handle the defeats of life and ultimately turn them into victories. Yes, it seemed like God was asleep, and the nation had to awaken Him (7:6; 78:65), but “He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep” (121: nkjv). The people of Israel had come to the place that Job reached when he said, “Though he slay me, yet will I trust him” (Job 13:15).

We can’t always explain the so-called tragedies of life, especially those that happen to God’s people, but Romans 8: is still in the Bible. The prophet Isaiah gives us wise counsel in 50:10: “Who is among you that fears the Lord and obeys the voice of His servant, that walks in darkness and has no light? Let him trust in the name of the Lord and rely on his God” (). We may look like sheep for the slaughter, but in God’s sight we are “more than conquerors through him that loved us” (Rom. 8:37).