Psalm 44

The cool thing about the psalms is that they are emotional responses directed to God concerning life issues. The other cool thing is that they are written from man's perspective and not from God's perspective. But just so we are clear, I must say a few things about these ideas.

By emotional responses, I am not suggesting that the psalmist's emotions are unjustified or somehow, the wrong response. Emotions certainly have a place within the lives of Christians, but we must be careful to express them in a way that never charges God with sin or unjust actions. We must also be careful never to let our emotions take us to the place that we don't trust God.

I also want to clarify that when I say that the Psalms were written from a human perspective, I do not mean that they are somehow less inspired than the letters of Paul or any other place in scripture. Now let's dive in.

One of the major themes that the Psalms address is suffering. This theme can be put in the form of a very difficult question: "Why do bad things happen to good people and why do good things happen to bad people?"

The psalmist is dealing with this question when he writes Psalm 44. He observes that his enemies, who are not the chosen covenant people of God, are having great success and that they, who are the chosen people of God, are being plundered! His response is basically, "What's up wit dat?"

Consider how he expresses his confusion. He says, "You have rejected us and disgraced us . . . Those who hate us have gotten spoil" (vs. 9-10). And it appears that the people of God, in this instance, have done nothing wrong when he says, "All this has come upon us, though we have not been false to your covenant" (vs. 17). And, "If we had forgotten the name of our God or spread out our hands to a foreign god, would not God discover this? For He knows the secrets of the heart" (vs. 20-21).

Next comes a verse that Paul quotes, and I think he quotes it for a very good reason because of the context in which he uses it. The verse is verse 22, which says, "yet for your sake we are killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered." Paul quotes this in Romans 8:36 toward the end of his discourse on suffering. The world is full of suffering. People are suffering. We are being killed all day long. Paul, like the psalmist, also recognizes that God's people are experiencing trials and sufferings beyond their control. If you read Romans 8, you will discover that Paul gives us many reasons to take hope in God (vs. 28-39).

So Basically Paul and the psalmist observe the same problem. God's people are suffering. Paul tells us things like, "all things work together for good," "Who can bring a charge against God's elect?" and "we are more than conquers." How can Paul say these things when God's people are being slaughtered like sheep? Why does the psalmist go to God and say, "Rise up! Help us! Redeem us for the sake of Your steadfast love!"

The reason both Paul and the psalmist take hope in God is because of a very deep theological reason that none of you may understand (I'm just kidding). Okay, everybody pay attention . . . the reason is . . . "God is the only one who can save us!!!" Do you see that? Notice how the Psalmist appeals to God's character and not his abilities. In verses 1-8, he reflects on the past ways that God saved His people and says, "You with your own hand drove out the nations . . . for not by their own sword did they win the land nor did their own arm save them . . . through You we push down our foes" (vs. 2-5). "For not in my bow do I trust, nor can my sword save me" (vs. 6).

Why do we turn to God in our troubles? We should turn to Him because even though it might not seem like God is working things out for our good and even though or seem like God will keep His promise, God works in ways that we do not understand. One fact remains. God will keep His promise. He is good. Take hope in Him. God will bring us through our times of trouble. Take hope in Him.