Psalm 44:1

Psalm 44:1

Why Lord?  (Continued.)

Whilst Psalms 42-43 were written by an individual, the tense here in Psalm 44, becomes plural and the song is a lament by a community. As we read on, we realise that this was penned on behalf of the nation of Israel at a time when they felt abandoned and rejected by the Lord God. It appears that they had suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of an enemy. This was most likely written long after David’s time, maybe in the reign of Jehoshaphat or Hezekiah. Commentators divide the Psalm into 4 parts: -

V1-8                Praise for past victories

V9-16              The present disaster and its consequences

V17-22            A plea of innocence and a sense of injustice

V23-26            A prayer for help

 

V1        It was part of everyday life in Israel, to recount the adventures and conquests of the past, from the age of the patriarchs, through the time of the Judges and prophets, and then the various Kings who had brought deliverance and God’s hand of blessing upon the nation. These events were retold at Feast days like Passover, they were read and taught in the Temple Courts or school classrooms, they were passed on to children and were the golden thread that gave the nation its “raison d’etre.” Perhaps some of the accounts were embellished, others were recounted in vivid detail, this was the heritage of the people and at the heart of it was a God who had separated them out from the nations and who had given them the Promised Land. 

It is good for us to stop and relive our own accounts of our walk with God, to review those early days of growing faith, to remember the men and women who were sent into our lives to show us the works of God. We need to have a history that is His Story and to recall the moments of glory and wonder when we saw, close up, the hand of the Lord at work in our lives. Even as I write this, I am recalling wonderful days and moments written into my history that no one can take from me. God has been good, God has shown Himself to me, God has been with me. I have heard it from my ancestors, my predecessors, and I now have my own story to tell. Do you? Think about it today. 

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