WEDNESDAY Reflections
Our expectation is God will reward those who serve him. This was also
the expectation of Israel. The psalmist here isn’t seeing the deliverance he
expected. In desperation, he first reminds God what he did in the past and now
calls out to God in confusion. For the Psalmist, it seems God has forsaken him.
He knows what God has done in the past but now it seems like God may be asleep
at the job.
Since we do not know the exact time of this psalm we can only
guess what is happening. However, what is seen is the confusion in someone who
feels forgotten though they serve God. This psalm reminds me that feelings of desertion
are not anything new. Even on the cross, Jesus cried out, “My God, why have you
forsaken me!” Jesus wasn’t forsaken, in truth, he won his greatest victory, but
at that moment it did not feel like a victory. It felt like agony. Jesus and
the psalmist ends with a cry to God and a faith that God will bring deliverance.
This is the faith we need as we face moments of confusion because we are not
alone.
Psa 44:1-26
(1) To the chief Musician for the sons of Korah, Maschil. We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, what work thou didst in their days, in the times of old.
(2) How thou didst drive out the heathen with thy hand, and plantedst them; how thou didst afflict the people, and cast them out.
(3) For they got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them: but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour unto them.
(4) Thou art my King, O God: command deliverances for Jacob.
(5) Through thee will we push down our enemies: through thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us.
(6) For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me.
(7) But thou hast saved us from our enemies, and hast put them to shame that hated us.
(8) In God we boast all the day long, and praise thy name for ever. Selah.
(9) But thou hast cast off, and put us to shame; and goest not forth with our armies.
(10) Thou makest us to turn back from the enemy: and they which hate us spoil for themselves.
(11) Thou hast given us like sheep appointed for meat; and hast scattered us among the heathen.
(12) Thou sellest thy people for nought, and dost not increase thy wealth by their price.
(13) Thou makest us a reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and a derision to them that are round about us.
(14) Thou makest us a byword among the heathen, a shaking of the head among the people.
(15) My confusion is continually before me, and the shame of my face hath covered me,
(16) For the voice of him that reproacheth and blasphemeth; by reason of the enemy and avenger.
(17) All this is come upon us; yet have we not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falsely in thy covenant.
(18) Our heart is not turned back, neither have our steps declined from thy way;
(19) Though thou hast sore broken us in the place of dragons, and covered us with the shadow of death.
(20) If we have forgotten the name of our God, or stretched out our hands to a strange god;
(21) Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart.
(22) Yea, for thy sake are we killed all the day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter.
(23) Awake, why sleepest thou, O Lord? arise, cast us not off for ever.
(24) Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and forgettest our affliction and our oppression?
(25) For our soul is bowed down to the dust: our belly cleaveth unto the earth.
(26) Arise for our help, and redeem us for thy mercies' sake.
Psa 44:1-26
(1) To the chief Musician for the sons of Korah, Maschil. We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, what work thou didst in their days, in the times of old.
(2) How thou didst drive out the heathen with thy hand, and plantedst them; how thou didst afflict the people, and cast them out.
(3) For they got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them: but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour unto them.
(4) Thou art my King, O God: command deliverances for Jacob.
(5) Through thee will we push down our enemies: through thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us.
(6) For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me.
(7) But thou hast saved us from our enemies, and hast put them to shame that hated us.
(8) In God we boast all the day long, and praise thy name for ever. Selah.
(9) But thou hast cast off, and put us to shame; and goest not forth with our armies.
(10) Thou makest us to turn back from the enemy: and they which hate us spoil for themselves.
(11) Thou hast given us like sheep appointed for meat; and hast scattered us among the heathen.
(12) Thou sellest thy people for nought, and dost not increase thy wealth by their price.
(13) Thou makest us a reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and a derision to them that are round about us.
(14) Thou makest us a byword among the heathen, a shaking of the head among the people.
(15) My confusion is continually before me, and the shame of my face hath covered me,
(16) For the voice of him that reproacheth and blasphemeth; by reason of the enemy and avenger.
(17) All this is come upon us; yet have we not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falsely in thy covenant.
(18) Our heart is not turned back, neither have our steps declined from thy way;
(19) Though thou hast sore broken us in the place of dragons, and covered us with the shadow of death.
(20) If we have forgotten the name of our God, or stretched out our hands to a strange god;
(21) Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart.
(22) Yea, for thy sake are we killed all the day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter.
(23) Awake, why sleepest thou, O Lord? arise, cast us not off for ever.
(24) Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and forgettest our affliction and our oppression?
(25) For our soul is bowed down to the dust: our belly cleaveth unto the earth.
(26) Arise for our help, and redeem us for thy mercies' sake.
As the Psalmist ends this psalm with both trust and discouragement that they are not being victorious, he acknowledges that if they have forgotten who God is and are following strange gods they will be found out. I see it as an acknowledgment the defeats they are facing may actually be their own fault. We are often quick to blame others or God for not helping us but often it is our own actions which get us in trouble. We don’t obey and find ourselves in a trouble of our own making. We want to ask God why He has failed but the truth is we have. The psalmist acknowledges this to his credit.
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