The Book of Psalms
Psalm 44
Psalm XLIV · Vol. II, p. 1014
1 The church, calling to mind former favours, 9 complaineth of present evils. 17 Professing her integrity, 23 she fervently prayeth for succour.
To the chief musician for the sons of Korah, Maschil.
1 We havea heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, what work thou didst in their days, in the times of old:
A.M. cir. 2968 or 2949. B.C. cir. 1036 or 1055.
a Ex.12.26,27;13.8,14,15. Ps.78.3,6. De.6.7. Is.38.19. Joel 1.3.
2 Howb thou didst drive out the heathen with thy hand, and plantedst them; how thou didst afflict the people, and cast them out.
3 Forc 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.
5 Throughe thee will we push down our enemies: through thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us.1
e Ps.18.32-45;118.5-14;144.1,2. Ro.8.31;16.20. Phi.4.13. Is.41.14-16. De.33.17,27. Mal.4.3.
1 Observe what faith is here manifested. No calamities or sufferings, national or personal, can shake the psalmist's trust in God's love and mercy. If evils are prolonged, the fault is man's. If deliverance is delayed, it is because of sin. God's cause and true people must and will eventually triumph.—P.
10 Thouk makest us to turn back from the enemy; and they which hate us spoil for themselves.
k De.28.25,64. 1 Sa.xxxi. 2 Ki.x.-xvii. xxiv. xxv.
11 Thoul hast given us like sheep appointed for meat;3 and hast scattered us among the heathen.4
l Ro.8.36. Zec.11.4,7.
3 Heb. as sheep of meat.
4 This would seem to indicate that the psalm must have been written at a comparatively late period. Such a statement could scarcely have been made previous to the captivity of a portion of the tribes by Pul and Tiglath-pileser (cir. B.C. 760). Consequently the psalm could not have been written by David.—P.
13 Thouo makest us a reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and a derision to them that are round about us.
17 Alls this is come upon us; yet have we not tforgotten thee, neither have we dealt falsely in thy covenant.6
* Of course national defection must be meant. The sense seems to be that the writer was not aware of anything so exceptionally wicked and rebellious in the conduct of the nation, as to call down the dire calamities that then afflicted them.—P.
s Da.9.13.
6 See note * in first column.
18 Ouru heart is not turned back, neither have our steps7 declined from thy way,
u Job 23.11,12. Ps.119.157. 2 Ti.1.12. Nu.14.24. 1 Ki.15.5.
7 Or, goings.
19 Thoughv thou hast sore broken us in xthe place of dragons, and covered us with ythe shadow of death.8
8 The general sense of the passage is, that the people had been conquered by their enemies, their cities had been destroyed, their country made desolate, so that wild beasts found in it a fitting abode. The word rendered 'dragons' signifies primarily a sea monster or serpent, then any savage beast. 'The place of dragons' would thus denote a place where wild beasts had their lairs.—P.
20 Ifz we have aforgotten the name of our God, or stretched out our hands to a strange god;
a Ju.2.11-13. Je.2.13,32. Job 31.26-28, with Ex.9.29. 1 Ki.8.22. Job 11.13. Ps.68.31.
22 Yea,c for thy sake9 are we killed all the day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter.
c Ro.8.36. Phi.2.17,30. Ac.21.13;20.24. 1 Co.15.31;4.13. 2 Co.4.10-12.
9 'For thy sake,' i.e. because we are thy people, we are worshippers of the true God, therefore the heathen persecute us. The psalmist pleads that national religion, and not national infidelity, is the secret cause of all their present calamities.—P.
Notes
Ver. 1. The grammar here presents a plurality of speakers, and their statements and complaints indicate a faithful but a persecuted church, ver. 11, 17-22. Occasionally (ver. 4, 6, 15) a single speaker interferes, who, it appears from ver. 15, can be no other than Christ; for no man who knows the versatility of frail human nature can imagine any but Christ truly to utter that verse. C.
Ver. 3. Infidels have frequently objected against Jehovah for expelling the nations of Canaan. There are two answers—1. God has a sovereign right over his own world. 2. The Canaanites were righteously expelled on account of their wickedness, Le. 19. 23, 24. C.
Ver. 9. The true followers of Jesus are all soldiers of the cross, and must follow the Lamb, and like him be often put to shame, and like him despise it for the joy set before them, 1 Ti. 6. 12; 2 Ti. 2. 3, 4; 4. 7; He. 12. 2. C.
Ver. 12. This has often in times of persecution been literally fulfilled, when the mere sentence of the judge, deciding that the accused, under some opprobrious name, was a true Christian, was sufficient to deliver him over as a slave to the galleys, or transport him to distant penal colonies. C.
Ver. 15. This is true only of the Son of God, and there is an awful sense in which it is ever true, seeing there are those in the professing church who ever 'crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame,' He. 6. 6. C.
Ver. 19. The place of dragons. The persecution of the church the Spirit of God attributes to the malice of Satan under the emblem of a dragon, Re. 12. 3-9; and the scenes of persecution may well be termed the 'place of dragons,' where his servants rule, Ep. 6. 12. C.
Reflections.—Memorials of past mercies ought to be carefully recorded and transmitted from age to age, as an encouragement in time of need as well as a ground of thankfulness. It is never outward force, but Jesus Christ's Word and Spirit, that build up the church and triumph over the powers of darkness. If we want help in trouble, we must renounce all other confidences, and take God alone to be our kind deliverer and boast; so shall our troubles and griefs be quickly turned into everlasting praise.—It is common, but sinful, for them whom God casts down to think themselves utterly cast off, and to shrink under reproach and suffering, as if they were not our appointed cross. For it is not now but hereafter that God will make us to know and admire the mystery of his providence. It is especially distressing to the faithful when they falsely apprehend that God gets no glory by the afflictions of his people; nay, instead thereof, is dishonoured and reproached.—All God's people, though not called to be proper martyrs, have their particular sufferings allotted to them for his sake. But it is dangerous to comply with sins in order to shun troubles. Highly provoking to God are treachery, apostasy, and idolatry; and fearfully he will search out and punish them. But great is the mercy that nothing can break his promise of grace with the faithful; and that not sins of mere infirmity, but indulged provocations, are held as a violation of their round of duties. And if he appear asleep amidst our troubles, it is to humble us under his mighty hand, to awaken our importunate prayers, and that he may the more magnify his mercy and power in our deliverance.