> [[psalm-43|← Previous]] | [[psalm-00|TOC]] | [[psalm-45|Next →]] --- # Psalm 44 ## God’s Past Favor and Israel’s Present Need 1 For the leader. A *maskil* of the Korahites. ^psalm-44-1 ### I 2 O God, we have heard with our own ears; ^psalm-44-2 our ancestors have told us The deeds you did in their days, with your own hand in days of old: 3 You rooted out nations to plant them, ^psalm-44-3 crushed peoples and expelled them. 4 Not with their own swords did they conquer the land, ^psalm-44-4 nor did their own arms bring victory; It was your right hand, your own arm, the light of your face for you favored them. 5 You are my king and my God, ^psalm-44-5 who bestows victories on Jacob. 6 Through you we batter our foes; ^psalm-44-6 through your name we trample our adversaries. 7 Not in my bow do I trust, ^psalm-44-7 nor does my sword bring me victory. 8 You have brought us victory over our enemies, ^psalm-44-8 shamed those who hate us. 9 In God we have boasted all the day long; ^psalm-44-9 your name we will praise forever. *Selah* ### II 10 But now you have rejected and disgraced us; ^psalm-44-10 you do not march out with our armies. 11 You make us retreat before the foe; ^psalm-44-11 those who hate us plunder us at will. 12 You hand us over like sheep to be slaughtered, ^psalm-44-12 scatter us among the nations. 13 You sell your people for nothing; ^psalm-44-13 you make no profit from their sale. 14 You make us the reproach of our neighbors, ^psalm-44-14 the mockery and scorn of those around us. 15 You make us a byword among the nations; ^psalm-44-15 the peoples shake their heads at us. 16 All day long my disgrace is before me; ^psalm-44-16 shame has covered my face 17 At the sound of those who taunt and revile, ^psalm-44-17 at the sight of the enemy and avenger. ### III 18 All this has come upon us, ^psalm-44-18 though we have not forgotten you, nor been disloyal to your covenant. 19 Our hearts have not turned back, ^psalm-44-19 nor have our steps strayed from your path. 20 Yet you have left us crushed, ^psalm-44-20 desolate in a place of jackals; you have covered us with a shadow of death. 21 If we had forgotten the name of our God, ^psalm-44-21 stretched out our hands to another god, 22 Would not God have discovered this, ^psalm-44-22 God who knows the secrets of the heart? 23 For you we are slain all the day long, ^psalm-44-23 considered only as sheep to be slaughtered. ### IV 24 Awake! Why do you sleep, O Lord? ^psalm-44-24 Rise up! Do not reject us forever! 25 Why do you hide your face; ^psalm-44-25 why forget our pain and misery? 26 For our soul has been humiliated in the dust; ^psalm-44-26 our belly is pressed to the earth. 27 Rise up, help us! ^psalm-44-27 Redeem us in your mercy. \* (Psalm 44) In this lament the community reminds God of past favors which it has always acknowledged ([Ps 44:2] – [9]). But now God has abandoned Israel to defeat and humiliation ([Ps 44:10] – [17]), though the people are not conscious of any sin against the covenant ([Ps 44:18] – [23]). They struggle with being God’s special people amid divine silence; yet they continue to pray ([Ps 44:24] – [26]). \* (44:11) You make us retreat: the corollary of [Ps 44:3]. Defeat, like victory, is God’s doing; neither Israel nor its enemies can claim credit ([Ps 44:23]). \* (44:19) Our hearts have not turned back: Israel’s defeat was not caused by its lack of fidelity. \* (44:20) A place of jackals: following Israel’s defeat and exile ([Ps 44:11] – [12]), the land lies desolate, inhabited only by jackals, cf. [[isaiah-13|Is 13]]:22; [Jer 9:10]; [10:22]. Others take *tannim* as “sea monster” (cf. [Ez 29:3]; [32:2]) and render: “you crushed us as you did the sea monster.” a. (44:2) [Ps 78:3]. b. (44:3) [Ps 78:55]; [80:9f]. c. (44:4) [Dt 8:17f]; [Jos 24:12]. d. (44:4) ([[psalm-04|Ps 4]]:7]; [31:17]; [67:2]; [80:4]; [Nm 6:25]; [Dn 9:17]. e. (44:5) [Ps 145:1]. f. (44:10] – [27) [Ps 89:39] – [52]. g. (44:10) [Ps 60:12]. h. (44:11) [Lv 26:17]; [Dt 28:25]. i. (44:12) [Lv 26:33]; [Dt 28:64]. j. (44:13) [Dt 32:30]; [Is 52:3]. k. (44:14] – [17) [Ps 79:4]; [80:7]; [123:3] – [4]; [Jb 12:4]; [Dn 9:16]. l. (44:20) [Jer 9:10]. m. (44:23) [Rom 8:36]. n. (44:24) ([[psalm-10|Ps 10]]:1]; [74:1]; [77:8]; [79:5]; [83:2]. o. (44:25) ([[psalm-10|Ps 10]]:11]; [89:47]; [Jb 13:24]. p. (44:26) [Ps 119:25]. --- _New American Bible, revised edition_ (2010, 1991, 1986, 1970) Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C. > [[psalm-43|← Previous]] | [[psalm-00|TOC]] | [[psalm-45|Next →]]