PSALM XLIV _The psalmist recounts the mercies of God; shows to his people_ _how God in ancient times gave them the victory over all their_ _enemies_, 1-8; _points out their present miserable state_, 9-16; _asserts that thy have not apostatized, and appeals to God for_ _the truth of his asserti... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Psalms 44:2. _THOU DIDST DROVE OUT THE HEATHEN_] The Canaanites were as a bad tree planted in a good soil, and bringing forth bad fruit with great luxuriance. God plucked up this bad tree from the roots, and in its place planted the Hebrews as a good tree, a good vine, and caused them to take... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Psalms 44:3. _FOR THEY GOT NOT THE LAND_] Neither by their valour, nor cunning, nor for their merit; yet, they were obliged to fight. But how did they conquer? By the right hand of the Lord, and by his arm; by his strength alone, and the _light of his countenance_-his favour most manifestly sh... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Psalms 44:4. _THOU ART MY KING_] What thou wert to _them_, be to _us_. We believe in thee as they did; we have sinned and are in captivity, but we repent and turn unto thee; command, therefore, deliverances to Jacob, for we are the descendants of him in whose behalf thou hast wrought such wond... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Psalms 44:5. _THROUGH THEE WILL WE PUSH DOWN_] _Through thy_ WORD, במימרא _bemeimra_, "Thy substantial Word." - _Chaldee_. If thou be with us, who can be successfully against us? Literally "We will toss them in the air with our horn;" a metaphor taken from an ox or bull tossing the dogs into t... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Psalms 44:6. _I WILL NOT TRUST IN MY BOW_] As he is speaking of what God had already done for his forefathers, these words should be read in the _past_ tense: "We have not trusted," c.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Psalms 44:8. _IN GOD WE BOAST_] We have told the heathen how great and powerful our God is. If thou do not deliver us by thy mighty power, they will not believe our report, but consider that we are held in bondage by the superior strength of their gods.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Psalms 44:9. _BUT THOU HAST CAST OFF_] Our enemies have dominion over us. _AND GOEST NOT FORTH WITH OUR ARMIES._] Were we to attempt to muster our several tribes, and form a _host_, like our fathers when they came out of Egypt, thou wouldst not accompany us as thou didst them: the horses and... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Psalms 44:10. _THOU MAKEST US TO TURN BACK_] This thou didst: and our enemies, profiting by the occasion, finding our strength was departed from us, made us an easy prey, captivated our persons, and spoiled us of our property.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Psalms 44:11. _AND HAST SCATTERED US AMONG THE HEATHEN._] This most evidently alludes to the captivity. From the successful wars of the kings of Assyria and Chaldea against the kings of Israel and Judah, and the dispersion of the tribes under Tiglath-pileser, Shalmaneser, and Nebuchadnezzar, J... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Psalms 44:12. _THOU SELLEST THY PEOPLE FOR NOUGHT_] An allusion to the mode of disposing of slaves by their proprietors or sovereigns. Instead of seeking profit, thou hast made us a present to our enemies.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Psalms 44:14. _THOU MAKEST US A BYWORD_] We are evidently abandoned by thee, and are become so very miserable in consequence, that we are a proverb among the people: "See the Hebrews! _see their misery and_ _wretchedness! see how low the wrath of God has brought down an_ _offending people_!" A... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Psalms 44:17. _YET HAVE WE NOT FORGOTTEN THEE_] These are bold words; but they must be understood in a qualified sense. We have not _apostatized_ from thee, we have not _fallen into idolatry_. And this was strictly true: the charge of idolatry could never be brought against the Jewish nation f... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Psalms 44:19. _THOU HAST SORE BROKEN US IN THE PLACE OF DRAGONS_] Thou hast delivered us into the hands of a fierce, cruel, and murderous people. We, as a people, are in a similar state to one who has strayed into a wilderness, where there are no human inhabitants; who hears nothing round abou... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Psalms 44:20. _IF WE HAVE FORGOTTEN THE NAME OF OUR GOD_] _That name_, יהוה Jehovah, by which the true God was particularly distinguished, and which implied the exclusion of all other objects of adoration. _OR STRETCHED OUT OUR HANDS_] Made supplication; offered prayer or adoration to any _st... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Psalms 44:21. _SHALL NOT GOD SEARCH THIS OUT?_] We confidently appeal to the true God, the searcher of hearts, for the truth of this statement.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Psalms 44:22. _FOR THY SAKE ARE WE KILLED ALL THE DAY LONG_] Because of our attachment to thee and to thy religion, we are exposed to continual death; and some of us fail a daily sacrifice to the persecuting spirit of our enemies, and we all carry our lives continually in our hands. In the sam... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Psalms 44:23. _AWAKE, WHY SLEEPEST THOU, O LORD?_] That is, Why dost thou appear as one asleep, who is regardless of the safety of his friends. This is a _freedom of speech_ which can only be allowed to inspired men; and in their mouths it is always to be _figuratively_ understood.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Psalms 44:24. _WHEREFORE HIDEST THOU THY FACE_] Show us the cause why thou withdrawest from us the testimony of thy approbation.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Psalms 44:25. _OUR SOUL IS BOWED DOWN_] Our life is drawing near to the grave. If thou delay to help us, we shall become extinct.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Psalms 44:26. _ARISE FOR OUR HELP_] Show forth thy power in delivering us from the hands of our enemies. _REDEEM US_] Ransom us from our thraldom. _FOR THY MERCIES' SAKE._] למען חסדך _lemaan chasdecha, On account_ _of thy mercy_. That we may have that proper view of thy mercy which we should... [ Continue Reading ]