“Truth for Truckers” *March 14, 2014* Psalm 44 “Arise
for our help”
This Psalm is listed as written for
instructing [Maschil] the sons of Korah, who were of the priestly tribe of
Levi. Its movements are divided up into four sections with (v.1-8) developing
their Confidence in God. Then (v.9-16) unfold the Calamity from God
with (v.17-22) recording their Case in Chief. The Psalm ends with their Cry
unto God (v.23-26) emphasizing five significant requests from the Lord.
In the first eight verses the Psalmist
gives testimony to God’s working in the past history of the nation of Israel
bolstering their Confidence in God: ‘We
have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, what work Thou didst
in their days, in the times of old. How Thou didst drive out the heathen with
Thy hand, and planted them; how Thou did afflict the people, and cast them out.
For 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 had a favor unto them.’
This first three verses cover the conquest
of the land under Joshua showing that ‘Our
fathers’ recognized and relayed the fact that God was fully responsible for
purging and providing the nation of Israel with the promised land just as He
said He would. It was the miraculous working of the LORD that accomplished it
all and they are here giving Him the glory for His working.
Then, the Psalmist declares: ‘Thou art my King O God: command
deliverances for Jacob’(v.4). This statement and following request sets the
tone for the remainder of the Psalm for present deliverance is needed, and
based on the past record of God’s working (v.1-3) He is able to do it again,
and therefore the request is made here somewhat abruptly and up front so to
speak.
The statement of confidence in God
continues in (v.5-7) with the past, present and future tenses utilized to show
God’s complete ability to deliver: ‘Through
Thee will we push down our enemies: through Thy name will we tread them under
that rise up against us. For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword
save me. But Thou hast saved us from our enemies, and hast put them to shame
that hated us.’
These statements of confidence parallel
the previous record of God’s great deliverance of the land of promise when He
did it then, and now He is called upon to do it again. This demonstrates the
writer’s ability to present a sound and compelling request based on past
history of the LORD’s willingness and power to perform. He caps this section
with a meaningful declaration of devotion to the LORD: ‘In God we boast all the day long, and praise Thy name forever. Selah’.
He directs His words to the LORD and ends with
the word Selah showing a musical notation that calls for meditation upon what
was just recorded. But, just as his confidence in God seemed to be at its
highest point, suddenly Calamity from God enters, and the tone and tenor
of the Psalm takes a sharp dive into darkness and despair as a multitude of
downward and depressing statements of calamity are clicked off in almost
military style addressed to God Himself:
1. Thou hast cast
off
2. Thou hast put us to
shame
3. Thou goest not
forth with our armies
4. Thou makest us to
turn back from the enemy
5. They which hate
us spoil for themselves
6. Thou hast given
us as sheep appointed for meat
7. Thou hast
scattered us among the heathen
8. Thou sellest Thy
people for nought
9. Thou dost not
increase Thy wealth by their price
10. Thou makest us a
reproach to our neighbors, a scorn and a derision
11. Thou makest us a
byword among the heathen, a shaking of the head among the people
12. My confusion is continually
before me
13. The shame of my
face hath covered me
14. For the voice of
him that reproaches and blasphemes by reason of the enemy
This sudden turn of events which the
Psalmist puts squarely into God’s realm of responsibility shows his ability to
discern the facts of God’s full control over the events that He allows to enter into the life of
His people but is not the author. Yes, His sovereign control over the entire
universe is a fact that should give us great peace in time of sudden calamity. However,
it does not end there, witness the marvelous testimony of their Case in
Chief: ‘All this is come upon us; yet
have we not forgotten Thee, neither have we dealt falsely in Thy covenant. Our
heart is not turned back, neither have our steps declined from Thy way; Though
Thou hast sore broken us in the place of dragons, and covered us with the
shadow of death…‘Yea for Thy sake are we killed all the day long; we counted as
sheep for the slaughter.’’ (v.17-22)
In spite of the desperate situation, there
was no forgetting God, or falsehoods, or turning back, nor decline in their
faithfulness to God even though they recognized the Lord was indeed in control
of their dire circumstances. This section closes with the ultimate in
affliction: Being put to death for God’s sake
demonstrates not only the ultimate affliction, but it also show the full
devotion to God’s will similar to the Lord Jesus Christ’s attitude as He went
to His death for God’s sake: ‘Not My will
but Thine be done’ showing the highest form of worship ever when He gave
Himself a propitiation for our sins so that God could be just and the justifier
of an ungodly sinner like me and all of mankind. (I John 2:2).
In conclusion, the Psalmist’s Cry unto
God (v.23-26) giving five imperative requests to the Lord:
- Awake, why sleepest Thou, O Lord?
- Arise
- Cast us not off for ever
- Arise for our help
- Redeem us for Thy mercies sake.
These
requests show the Psalmist’s enduring faith in his God as he calls out to Him
for help, fully expecting the Lord to hear and answer, basing it all upon the
eternal mercies of God and His past action. This sure foundation of the mercy
of God demonstrates the Psalmist’s wisdom as he appeals to God for His
deliverance, an appeal which the Lord will answer because He is the God of eternal
mercy to His children and to all who will call upon Him (Psalm 136).
Drivers, sometimes
the Lord allows us to go through the deep waters that seem to over-flood our
soul. But, He is ever in control and always
brings us through to the victory side as we remain faithful to Him. ‘He is able to do exceeding abundantly above
all that we ask or think according to the power [Holy Spirit] which works
within us!’ (Ephesians 3:20)
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