PSALMS 44

STROPHE DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

NASB	NKJV	NRSV	TEV	NJB
Former Deliverance and Present Troubles MT Intro For the choir director. A Maskil of the sons of Korah	Redemption Remembered in Present Dishonor	Prayer For Deliverance From National Enemies	A Prayer For Protection	National Lament
44:1-3	44:1-3	44:1-3	44:1-3	44:1-2a
				44:2b-3
44:4-8	44:4-8	44:4-8	44:4-8	44:4-5
				44:6-8
44:9-16	44:9-16	44:9-12	44:9-12	44:9-10
				44:11-12
		44:13-16	44:13-16	44:13-14
				44:15-16
44:17-19	44:17-19	44:17-19	44:17-19	44:17-19
44:20-26	44:20-22	44:20-22	44:20-22	44:20-22
	44:23-26	44:23-26	44:23-24	44:23-24
			44:25-26	44:25-26

READING CYCLE THREE (see
“Bible
Interpretation Seminar”)

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR’S INTENT AT PARAGRAPH LEVEL

This is a study guide commentary, which
means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the
light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not
relinquish this to a commentator.

Read the chapter in one sitting. Identify the subjects (reading cycle #3). Compare
your subject divisions with the five translations above. Paragraphing is not inspired, but it is
the key to following the original author’s intent, which is the heart of interpretation. Every
paragraph has one and only one subject.

First paragraph
Second paragraph
Third paragraph, etc.

CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS

The opening strophes are contrasts between the failure of human plans and efforts and YHWH’s
effective and purposeful plans.
In a way this Psalm is similar to
1. Deuteronomy 32
2. Nehemiah 9
3. Psalm 78
  which are the history of Israel’s faithlessness and
  YHWH’s faithfulness during the early years (exodus, wilderness, conquest, judges).
This Psalm obviously was written after Israel’s experience of exile. Its focus is national
not individual.
It must be stated again and again that YHWH has an eternal redemptive purpose. Please look
at the following SPECIAL
TOPIC: YHWH’S ETERNAL REDEMPTIVE PLAN and
SPECIAL TOPIC: WHY
DO OT COVENANT PROMISES SEEM SO DIFFERENT FROM NT COVENANT PROMISES?

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: PSALM 44:1-3
¹O
God, we have heard with our ears,
Our
fathers have told us
The
work that You did in their days,
In
the days of old.
²You
with Your own hand drove out the nations;
Then You planted them;
You afflicted the peoples,
Then You spread them abroad.
³For by their own sword
they did not possess the land,
And
their own arm did not save them,
But
Your right hand and Your arm and the light of Your presence,
For You favored them.

44:1-3 This strophe recounts (PERFECT VERBS, cf. Deut. 32:7) all of YHWH’s
activities for Israel during the conquest of Joshua. This conquest fulfilled the promise of
Gen. 15:12-21. Notice the Genesis passage emphasizes YHWH’s role (i.e., holy war) in the promise. YHWH
acted, Abraham slept! The conquest was YHWH’s victory, not the Israelite military’s (Ps. 44:3).

44:1 “we have heard” The Jewish annual feasts were occasions to instruct the new
generations about God’s saving activities (cf. Exodus 12; Deut. 6:20-25; note the recurrent phrase,
“when your children ask. . .,” cf. Exod. 12:26,27; 13:14-15; Deut. 6:20-25; Jos. 4:6-7,21-24).
It is the spiritual responsibility of every generation of believers to instruct the new generation about
God, His character, and redemptive acts.

44:2 “the nations. . .the peoples” This refers to the native tribes of Canaan.

SPECIAL
TOPIC: The Pre-israelite Inhabitants of Palestine

▣ “You planted them” In context this still refers to the Canaanite tribes
(cf. LXX). The OT viewed YHWH as the establisher of all people groups (cf. Deut. 32:8). Genesis 15:12-21
asserts that the inhabitants of Canaan were expelled because of their sins; when Israel sins she will be
expelled also (cf. Psalm 78).

The TEV, REV, and NET Bible assume that Ps. 43:2 relates to

the Canaanite people, Ps. 44:2a,c
the Israelites under Joshua, Ps. 44:2b,d (cf. Exod. 15:17; Jer. 45:4)

44:3 It was not Israel’s military but YHWH’s power to accomplish His purposes that allowed
Israel to leave Egypt, travel to Canaan, and dispossess the native tribes!

Notice the parallelism between

Your right hand
Your arm
the light of Your presence

Number 3 would refer to the Shekinah Cloud of Glory during the
Wilderness Wandering Period.

▣ “You favored them” This is the purpose of YHWH’s promise to Abraham.

a seed (i.e., descendants)
a land
1. Abraham — Gen. 12:7; 13:15; 15:18
2. Israel — Gen. 26:3
3. Jacob — Gen. 28:13

The VERB “favored” (BDB 953, KB 1280, Qal PERFECT)
denotes the covenant purpose (cf. Gen. 12:3) of bringing all peoples to Himself (see
SPECIAL TOPIC; YHWH’S ETERNAL
REDEMTPIVE PLAN). YHWH chose to use Abraham and his seed (cf. Deut. 4:37; 7:7-8; 10:15) to reach
all the sons and daughters of Adam.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: PSALM 44:4-8
⁴You
are my King, O God;
Command
victories for Jacob.
⁵Through
You we will push back our adversaries;
Through
Your name we will trample down those who rise up against us.
⁶For I will not trust in
my bow,
Nor will my sword
save me.
⁷But
You have saved us from our adversaries,
And
You have put to shame those who hate us.
⁸In
God we have boasted all day long,
And
we will give thanks to Your name forever. Selah.

44:4-8 If the first strophe, dominated by PERFECT VERBSA, denotes the past, this
one, dominated by IMPERFECTS, denotes the present. Both deal with the concept of
“holy war” or ” God as Warrior.” YHWH (or His name, Ps. 44:5,8) is the source of
Israel’s victories, not their military.

44:4 “You are my King” YHWH as king probably comes from 1 Sam.8:7. The Israelite king
was only an earthly representative of YHWH’s rule and reign (cf. Isa. 24:23; 52:7; Ps. 93:1; 96:10;
97:1; 99:1). In Jewish literature and ritual, YHWH is called “King of the Universe.”

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE KINGDOM
OF GOD

▣ “Command victories for Jacob” This is an IMPERATIVE OF REQUEST
(BDB 845, KB 1010, Piel IMPERATIVE.

The word “victories” is literally “salvation” (BDB 447). In the OT
it denotes deliverance from physical problems and enemies.

It is possible that the ending letter on Elohim could go with the next word,
making it “my Commander” (AB, p. 265), which would be parallel to “My King.” AB
thinks the next phrase should also be a parallel title, “the Savior of Jacob.”

▣ “for Jacob” This is an allusion to YHWH’s promises to the Patriarchs
(i.e., Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, cf. Genesis 12-35). YHWH has an eternal revelatory, redemptive
purpose for the whole world in which Israel and Jesus are key components!

SPECIAL TOPIC: YHWH’S ETERNAL
REDEMPTIVE PLAN

44:8 Notice the parallelism of Ps. 44:8.

boasted ‒ give thanks
all day long ‒ forever

▣ “Selah” See Introduction to Psalms, VII and note at Ps. 3:2.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: PSALM 44:9-16
⁹Yet
You have rejected us and brought us to dishonor,
And do not go out with our armies.
¹⁰You cause us to turn
back from the adversary;
And
those who hate us have taken spoil for themselves.
¹¹You give us as sheep to
be eaten
And have
scattered us among the nations.
¹²You
sell Your people cheaply,
And
have not profited by their sale.
¹³You
make us a reproach to our neighbors,
A
scoffing and a derision to those around us.
¹⁴You make us a byword
among the nations,
A
laughingstock among the peoples.
¹⁵All
day long my dishonor is before me
And
my humiliation has overwhelmed me,
¹⁶Because
of the voice of him who reproaches and reviles,
Because of the presence of the enemy
and the avenger.

44:9-16 This strophe is a stark reversal of Ps. 44:1-3 and 4-8. Instead of YHWH fighting for
Israel (i.e., 44:9b; Ps. 60:10; 108:11), He is fighting against them. It does not specifically mention
why, but the problem was covenant disobedience and its consequences (cf. Leviticus 26; Deuteronomy 27-30).

The terrible consequences were not just military defeat but exile, slavery, humiliation!

44:9 “You have rejected us” This VERB (BDB 276, KB 276, Qal
perfect) is used often in the Psalms where YHWH rejects His covenant people
(cf. Ps. 44:9,23; 60:1,10; 74:1; 77:7; 108:11). The reason why is the big question.

covenant disobedience (i.e., Leviticus 26; Deuteronomy 27-30)
their relationship with YHWH (i.e., Job, Psalm 73, Habakkuk)
a test of their loyalty not related to blessings (see
SPECIAL TOPIC: GOD
TESTS HIS PEOPLE)

The Psalm does not answer this, unless Ps. 44:22 is the key to the whole Psalm.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: PSALM 44:17-19
¹⁷All
this has come upon us, but we have not forgotten You,
And we have not dealt falsely with
Your covenant.
¹⁸Our
heart has not turned back,
And
our steps have not deviated from Your way,
¹⁹Yet You have crushed us
in a place of jackals
And
covered us with the shadow of death.

44:17-19 This strophe is an attempt to accept responsibility. Israel is claiming innocence.

we have not forgotten You
we have not dealt falsely with Your covenant
our heart (collective) has not turned back
our steps have not deviated from Your way

This claim of innocence is continued in the next strophe (cf. Ps. 44:20-22). This may be
true for some Israelites but not for the majority of them, for the majority of their history
(cf. Deuteronomy 32; Psalm 78; Nehemiah 9).

Psalm 44:19 is theologically similar to Job where he was willing to make God look bad
to enhance his own case. The psalmist is accusing God of acting against them in an unfair manner!

For a different interpretation see Derek Kidner, Tyndale OT Commentaries,
vol. 15, pp. 185-186.

44:17 “Your covenant” See
SPECIAL TOPIC: COVENANT.

44:19
NASB, NKJV, NRSV, NJB	”jackals”
JPSOA, REB	”sea monster”

The difference between these two is one consonant.

jackals — BDB 1072, תנים
sea monster — BDB 1072, תנין

The UBS Text Project (p. 237) gives “jackals” a “B” rating
(some doubt). The JPSOA gives Ezek. 29:3; 32:2, as parallel passages for tannin (i.e., “sea
monster,” cf. Gen. 1:21; Job 7:12).

From the Canaanite literature desert creatures are often used as figurative language for
the demonic of a nation (see
SPECIAL TOPIC: THE DEMONIE IN
THE OT, cf. Isa. 13:21-22; 34:11-15; Jer. 9:11; Mic. 1:8; Zeph. 2:14).

▣ “the shadow of death” See note at Ps. 23:4. YHWH has abandoned His covenant
people to the demonic forces of pagan religions and the realm of death!

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: PSALM 44:20-26
²⁰If
we had forgotten the name of our God
Or
extended our hands to a strange god,
²¹Would
not God find this out?
For
He knows the secrets of the heart.
²²But
for Your sake we are killed all day long;
We are considered as sheep to be
slaughtered.
²³Arouse
Yourself, why do You sleep, O Lord?
Awake,
do not reject us forever.
²⁴Why
do You hide Your face
And
forget our affliction and our oppression?
²⁵For our soul has sunk
down into the dust;
Our
body cleaves to the earth.
²⁶Rise
up, be our help,
And
redeem us for the sake of Your lovingkindness.

44:20 This is a specific denial of idolatry. They assert that if they were idolatrous, YHWH
would surely have known (Ps. 44:21, cf. Ps. 7:9; 17:3; 26:2; 66:10; 139:23; Jer. 11:20; 17:10; 20:12).

▣ “extended our hands” This is literally “spread forth” (BDB 831,
KB 975, Qal IMPERFECT). This was a physical gesture of worship, usually denoting
prayer (cf. Exod. 9:29; 2 Chr. 6:12; Ezra 9:5; Job 11:13; Ps. 28:2; 88:9; 134:2; 141:2; 143:6;
Lam. 2:19), but could include offering (i.e., lifting up) some type of sacrifice (animal, incense,
vegetable, or wine).

44:22 This is a claim, like Ps. 44:19, that YHWH has abandoned Israel (cf. UBS Handbook,
p. 409). Paul makes use of this verse in Rom. 8:36, and seems to indicate that God’s people face
problems in a fallen world but He is with them and for them. Nothing can separate us from God’s love
in Christ (cf. Rom. 8:38-39).

▣ “for Your sake” Some have seen this phrase as the key theological thrust of
the Psalm. God’s people are persecuted, not because of their sin, but because of their relationship to
Him. This motif is clearly seen in the life of Jesus.

I am just not sure there is enough textual evidence from this Psalm to make this claim!

44:23-26 This is seen as a separate strophe by NKJV, NRSV. There is a series of prayer requests
(IMPERATIVES and JUSSIVES).

arouse Yourself, Ps. 44:23 – BDB 734, KB 802, Qal IMPERATIVE,
cf. Ps. 7:6; 35:23
awake – BDB 884, KB 1098, Qal IMPERATIVE, cf. Ps. 35:23
do not reject us forever – BDB 276, KB 276, Qal IMPERFECT used
in a JUSSIVE sense, cf. Ps. 77:7
rise up – BDB 877, KB 1086, Qal IMPERATIVE, cf. Ps. 3:7; 7:6;
9:19; 10:12; 17:13; 74:22; 82:8; 132:8
redeem us – BDB 804, KB 911, Qal IMPERATIVE, cf. Ps. 25:22; 130:8
(see SPECIAL
TOPIC: RANSOM/REDEEM)

44:23 “why do You sleep, O Lord?” This is an idiomatic anthropomorphic phrase
(cf. Ps. 78:65). YHWH (here called Adonai) does not sleep (cf. Ps. 121:4), but at times
because of Israel’s sin, He seems to remove Himself from fellowship with them (cf. Ps. 44:24-25).

For a good brief discussion see Hard Sayings of the Bible, “Does
God Sleep?” (pp. 268-269).

▣ “do not reject us forever” “Forever” is another idiom referring
to fellowship (cf. Ps. 103:9). It seemed forever to them! But it was simply a period of disfellowship
so as to engender repentance and restore long term fellowship.

44:25 This is imagery for people praying, either on their knees or prostrate on the ground. This
was an unusual position of prayer, which was usually standing with hands lifted and eyes open, looking
up. Solomon prayed on his knees (cf. 2 Chr. 6:13); Daniel prayed on his knees (cf. Dan. 6:10); Jesus
prayed on His face in Gethsemane (cf. Matt. 26:39)! It is a way to denote intensity!

44:26 “for the sake of Your lovingkindness” YHWH acts for

His love for their fathers (i.e., the Patriarchs)
His promise to their fathers
His wider purpose of the Abrahamic covenant (cf. Gen. 12:3; see
SPECIAL TOPIC: YHWH’S
ETERNAL REDEMPTIVE PLAN)
His covenant loyalty, see
SPECIAL
TOPIC: LOVINGKINDNESS (HESED) to His word (cf. Ps. 6:4; 109:21,26; 119:149)

It was not because of Israel’s goodness (cf. Deut. 9:4-6; Ezek. 36:22-38).

SPECIAL
TOPIC: YHWH’s GRACE ACTS TO ISRAEL

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

This is a study guide commentary which means that you are responsible for your own
interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation.
You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of
the book. They are meant to be thought-provoking, not definitive.

What aspect of the covenant is brought into question in this Psalm?
What does this Psalm teach about the political structure of Israel?
Why has Israel been defeated?
Why is God asked to respond?

Old Testament Studies

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