Psalm 44

Prayer for Deliverance by God

In this Psalm, clearly Israel is being oppressed.  The psalmist expresses confidence that God will continue to fight for Israel. 

In 586 BC, the Babylonians conquered Jerusalem and razed the Temple.  Most of the Israelites were sent into exile in Babylonia.

Matthew Henry comments:

We are not told who was the penman of this psalm or when & upon what occasion it was penned.  It is a psalm calculated for a day of fasting & humiliation upon occasion of some public calamity, either pressing or threatening. 

In verses 17-22, my Bible makes this note:

The protest of righteousness certainly cannot describe either Israel of Judah before their respective exiles . . . the denunciation of all the prophets concerning Israel's breaking of the covenant are all too clear.  Perhaps these verses are the words of the righteous remnant during the Exile.  They have not surrendered their faith despite suffering & deprivation.

Remember back in Psalm 33 David expressed a similar sentiment as we see here in Psalm 44:6

No king is saved by the multitude of an army;

A mighty man is not delivered by great strength.

A horse is a vain hope for safety;

Neither shall it deliver any by its great strength.  ~ Ps. 33:16-17

In verse 6, this psalmist is saying the same thing: 

For I will not trust in my bow,

Nor shall my sword save me.

But You have saved us from our enemies . . . ~  Ps.. 44:6

The Lord's angel would deliver the same message to the prophet Zechariah many years later about accomplishing God's work:

'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the Lord of hosts. ~ Zec. 4:6

Are you feeling oppression in some way?  Are the circumstancees in your life difficult right now? May we possess that same confidence as this Psalm writer and proclaim:  "You are my King, O God!"  May we trust in His power & might and nothing of ourselves.   We have seen King David clearly depending on God's deliverance, and not any that he nor his armies could attain on their own strength.

WHAT CAN I LEARN ABOUT GOD THROUGH THIS PSALM:

• God did many great things for His people's deliverance
• God is my King
• God knows the secrets of my heart
• God is my Redeemer
• My victories are through Him

 HOW CAN I PRAISE GOD THROUGH THIS PSALM:

• I praise God that I am victorious through HIS NAME - not the bow or the sword
• I praise God that we have the Bible, which declares His deeds in the days of old

 PRAYER:

     Thank You, O Lord, that You are my victor.  Thank You that I do not have to trust in my "bow" or my "sword" - not man-made devices or schemes, but in Your name.  The Great I AM.  How I love Your name!
     May I never forget Your deeds in the days of old!  Thank You with my whole heart, O Lord, for Your word and the freedom to live in a country where it can be read & studied without fear of persecution.  I bless You, Father, that the faithfulness You exhibited to the Israelites is the same faithfulness You exhibit to me today. 
     May You find favor in me, O Lord, and the members of my family.
     Father, I am glad You know the secrets of my heart.  I don't want to hide anything from You.  May Your Holy Spirit convict me so that I am daily being conformed into the image of Your son, Jesus Christ - in whose name I pray ~ Amen