Psalms In My Palms - Book 4 - Lament

Armed and Ready!

Psalm 44:1-26

We will look at Psalm 44 as a Community Prayer for help. This type sets a good pattern for us when disaster strikes. These prayers affirm God's SOVEREIGNTY yet ask hard questions. They recall God's Faithfulness in the past which should help them to rely on His Faithfulness again. The nation of Israel had apparently experienced a military defeat! They remembered the miraculous accounts of their ancestors. God had brought them out of bondage to a glorious victory. They received the Promised Land as their inheritance!

So Psalm 44:1-3-(NKJV) begins with a review of the past-"We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, the deeds You did in their days, in days of old" (Read Exodus 12:26-27; 6:6-7; Deuteronomy 6:6-8; 8:1-2):

1. "You drove out the nations with YOUR Hand but them (the Israelites) You planted". (Exodus 15:17)

2. "You afflicted the people's and cast them out." (Deuteronomy 4:37-38)

3. "For they (the Israelites) did not gain possession of the land but their own sword. Nor did their own arm save them; But it was Your Right Hand, Your Arm, and the Light of Your Countenance." (Deuteronomy 8:17-18; 7:7-8).

"Because You favored them." (Remember Psalm 4:3)

Does God play favorites? Oh yes, He knows who are His and He favors them! But not one Christian over another.

The account of Israel's deliverance and new residence was passed on from generation to generation. Now they were ready to praise God for His Great Accomplishments. This part of Psalm 44:4-8 seems to be made by an individual. Probably a person of authority in Israel. He begins with-(TEV)-"YOU ARE MY KING AND MY GOD;:

1. "You give VICTORY to Your people;". (Psalm 74:12)

2. "By YOUR POWER we Defeat our enemies;" (Psalm 71:1-2)

3. "By YOUR PRESENCE we Overcome our adversaries." (Isaiah 9:6)

4. "I do not trust in my bow, or trust in my sword to save me;" (Psalm 33:16 and 18)

5. "Because YOU HAVE SAVED US from our enemies," (Psalm 32:10-11)

6. "YOU HAVE DEFEATED those who hate us." (2 Timothy 2:1 and 8)

7. "We will always PRAISE YOU and GIVE THANKS TO YOU FOREVER." (Psalm34:1-2)

What a beautiful story of God's great Work for us, as His special favored people. The speaker in this section of the Psalm speaks for all the people of Israel. We have the same promise and responsibility to God!

Then the community voice re-occurs. History has been recalled and rehearsed followed by an outburst of praise from the leader, but now the third step is the lament of the people.

(I have used the listing method again as it continues in statistic form in the scriptures. It creates a cause and effect in each listing (beCAUSE of THIS, the EFFECT on me is...). Follow me in Psalm 44:9-16-(CEB)-"But now":

1. "You've rejected and humiliated us (Cause)

You no longer accompany our armies." (Effect).

(Psalms 60:1; 144:5-7)

2. "You make us retreat from the enemy; (Cause)

Our adversaries plunder us." (Effect).

(Leviticus 26:17)

3. "You've handed us over like sheep for butchering, (Cause)

You've scattered us among the nations." (Effect).

(Romans 8:36; Deuteronomy 4:27; 28:64)

4. "You've sold Your people for nothing, (Cause)

Not even bothering to set a decent price." (Effect)

(Isaiah 52:3-6)

5. "You've made us a Joke to all our neighbors; (Cause)

We're mocked and ridiculed by everyone around us." (Effect)

(Jeremiah 24:9)

6. "You've made us a bad joke to the nations (Cause)

Something to be laughed at by all the people." (Effect)

(Deuteronomy 28:37; Job 16:4)

7. "All day long My disgrace confronts me, and shame covers my face, (Effect)

Because of the voices of those who make fun of me and bad-mouth me,

Because the enemy is out for revenge."(Cause)

(Psalm 8:1-2- But God...)

This is what the nation of Israel felt had happened because they were counting all 7 wrongs they are experiencing; forgetting the 7 attributes of God their leader reminded them of. These were extended to them, as well, as the basic history of miracles God had already performed.

Then they gave a plea of innocence reminding God of their Faithfulness to His commands. (I apologize if you find this hard to read but I am convinced the listing of innocence is necessary as was the other two listings.). So we go on in Psalm 44:17-22-(TLB)-"And all this happened, Lord":

1. "Despite our loyalty to You." (Daniel 9:3)

2. "We have not violated Your covenant." (Daniel 9:4)

3. "Our hearts have not deserted You. We have not left Your path by a single step." (Job 23:11-12

4. "If we had (left God) we could understand Your punishing us in the barren wilderness and sending us into darkness and death." (Isaiah 34:2; Psalm 23:4)

5. "If we had turned away from worshipping our God, and were worshiping idols, would God know it? Yes, He knows the secrets of every heart." (Psalm 134:1-3; Deuteronomy 6:1)

6. "But this is not our case. For we are facing death threats constantly because of serving You!" (Psalm 39:8)

7. "We are like sheep awaiting slaughter." (Isaiah 53:7; Romans 8:36) But their plea seemed to fall on deaf ears.

8. Psalm 44:23-25-(TEV)-"Wake up, Lord! Why are You asleep? Get up! Don't reject us forever! Why are You hiding from Us? Don't forget our suffering and trouble! We feel crushed to the ground, we lie defeated in the dust." (Read Isaiah 40:28-"The creator of the... ends of the earth neither faints nor is weary..."; Psalms 7:6-"...Rise up for me to judgment You have commanded!"; 121:3-4-"...He who keeps you will not slumber...nor sleep.")

In finality Psalm 44:26 reveals the desperate cry to God, their only HOPE.

(NKJV)-"Arise for our help, and REDEEM US FOR YOUR MERCIES SAKE." (Remember the Lord will HEAR when I call to Him). Redeem means buying us back. We can be redeemed by the blood of the Lamb because Jesus Christ gives us access to God. (Acts 8:32, 37-"...He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and as a Lamb before its shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth...and he answered and said, 'I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God." With those words the Ethiopian Eunuch was born-again into God's family. What a beautiful story! IT COMES BECAUSE OF THE MERCY OF GOD FOR OUR CRY FOR HELP! HOPE IS IN GOD WHO MAKES US ARMED AND READY FOR HIS SERVICE!

Next time...