INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 44 TO THE CHIEF MUSICIAN FOR THE SONS OF KORAH, MASCHIL. It is not certain who was the writer of this psalm, nor when it was written, and to what time it belongs: some have thought it was composed by one of the Babylonish captivity, and that it gives an account of the church a... [ Continue Reading ]
WE HAVE HEARD WITH OUR EARS, O GOD,.... The church being in distress calls to mind the past favours of God to his people, in order to encourage her faith and hope; and this expression, delivered in such a form, shows the clearness, evidence, and certainty of what was heard; and which was heard not o... [ Continue Reading ]
[HOW] THOU DIDST DRIVE OUT THE HEATHEN WITH THY HAND,.... Of power; that is, the Canaanites, as the Targum; the seven nations which inhabited the land of Canaan before the children of Israel came into it, Deuteronomy 7:1; AND PLANTEDST THEM: not the Canaanites elsewhere; but, as the same Targum exp... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THEY GOT NOT THE LAND IN POSSESSION BY THEIR OWN SWORD,.... There were many things which show that the possession of the land of Canaan was not of the Israelites themselves, but of the Lord; as their passing over into it through Jordan as on dry land; the manner in which Jericho, the first city... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU ART MY KING, O GOD,.... Besides the favours God had done for his people in time past, the church takes notice of her interest in God as her King, who was able to protect and defend her, and to deliver her out of all her distresses, in order the more to strengthen her faith and hope in him; and,... [ Continue Reading ]
THROUGH THEE WILL WE PUSH DOWN OUR ENEMIES,.... The Chaldee paraphrase renders it, "through the Word": the essential Word of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the church's King and God, and has wrought out complete deliverance and salvation for his people; and he is the horn of salvation, by which,... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR I WILL NOT TRUST IN MY BOW,.... In any carnal weapon, in any creature help and assistance, or in an arm of flesh, but in the word of the Lord, and in his name; see Psalms 20:7; NEITHER SHALL MY SWORD SAVE ME; that is, I will not ascribe salvation to it; the church's weapons are not carnal, but... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THOU HAST SAVED US FROM OUR ENEMIES,.... Spiritual ones, and not we ourselves; and therefore will not trust in ourselves, nor in anything of ours, but in the Lord, and give him the glory of salvation; AND HAST PUT THEM TO SHAME THAT HATED US; the men of the world, the seed of the serpent, and t... [ Continue Reading ]
IN GOD WE BOAST ALL THE DAY LONG,.... Or, as the Targum, "in the word of the Lord", in Christ, who is God over all, and who of God is made to his church and people wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption; so that there is always matter of glorying and boasting in him; AND PRAISE THY N... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THOU HAST CAST OFF,.... This, with what follows to Psalms 44:17, describe the desolate and afflicted state of the church, under the Gospel dispensation, in some parts and ages of it; and in the light in which it was viewed by the church, previous to the encouragement she took from the considera... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU MAKEST US TO TURN BACK FROM THE ENEMY,.... In the times of Eli, according to Arama; but may he understood of some of the visible members of the church, and professors of religion, not being valiant for the truth, and deserting the cause of God and Christ, by reason of tribulation and persecutio... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU HAST GIVEN US LIKE SHEEP [APPOINTED] FOR MEAT,.... To be butchered, and then eaten as sheep are; and therefore are called "the flock of slaughter", Zechariah 11:4; as the church was, not only under the ten persecutions of Rome Pagan, but through the butcheries and massacres of Rome Papal; who h... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU SELLEST THY PEOPLE FOR NOUGHT,.... So God, when he is said to deliver up his people into the hands of their enemies, is said to sell them to them; see Judges 2:14; and selling them for nought suggests, that in their apprehensions he had no esteem of them and value for them; just as men, when th... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU MAKEST US A REPROACH TO OUR NEIGHBOURS,.... Which is the common lot of Christians: Christ and his apostles have given reason for the saints in all ages to expect it, and have fortified their minds to bear it patiently, yea, to esteem it an honour, and greater riches than the treasures of the an... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU MAKEST US A BYWORD AMONG THE HEATHEN,.... Among the Papists, as the Jews were among the Gentiles, Deuteronomy 28:37; calling them schismatics, heretics, fanatics, and what not? A SHAKING OF THE HEAD AMONG THE PEOPLE; by way of indignation, scorn, and contempt; see Psalms 22:7.... [ Continue Reading ]
MY CONFUSION [IS] CONTINUALLY BEFORE ME,.... Meaning that which is the occasion of it; AND THE SHAME OF MY FACE HATH COVERED ME; not by reason of sin, which is often the cause of confusion and shame in God's people; see Jeremiah 3:25; but on account of what follows.... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THE VOICE, OF HIM THAT REPROACHETH AND BLASPHEMETH,.... That is, antichrist, to whom a mouth speaking blasphemies has been given, and which he has opened in blasphemy against God, attributing that to himself which belongs to God; blaspheming his name, his tabernacle, and them that well in heaven... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL THIS IS COME UPON US,.... Not by chance, but according to the purpose and counsel of God; not for sin, and as a punishment of it, but for Christ's sake and his Gospel; for a profession of faith in him, and for the trial of it; YET HAVE WE NOT FORGOTTEN THEE; not the being and perfections of God... [ Continue Reading ]
OUR HEART IS NOT TURNED BACK,.... To its original hardness, blindness, and bondage, to its former sin and folly, to cherish, gratify, and fulfil its lusts and desires; not from God, from love to him, faith in him, and desires after him; nor from his worship and service; their trials had no such infl... [ Continue Reading ]
THOUGH THOU HAST SORE BROKEN US IN THE PLACE OF DRAGONS,.... Where men, comparable to dragons or their poison and cruelty, dwell; particularly in Rome, and the Roman jurisdiction, both Pagan and Papal, the seat of Satan the great red dragon, and of his wretched brood and offspring, the beast, to who... [ Continue Reading ]
IF WE HAVE FORGOTTEN THE NAME OF OUR GOD,.... As antichrist, and the antichristian party did in those times, Daniel 11:36; OR STRETCHED OUT OUR HANDS TO A STRANGE GOD; as not to any of the Heathen deities under the Pagan persecutions, so not to any images of gold, silver, brass, and wood, under the... [ Continue Reading ]
SHALL NOT GOD SEARCH THIS OUT?.... Undoubtedly he would, was it so, and expose it, and punish for it; as he will the Balaamites and children of Jezebel, Revelation 2:18; this seems to be an appeal to God for the truth of all that the church had said concerning her steadfastness and integrity under t... [ Continue Reading ]
YEA, FOR THY SAKE ARE WE KILLED ALL THE DAY LONG,.... These words are cited by the Apostle Paul in Romans 8:36; and are applied to his times, showing the then close attachment of the saints to Christ, and their strong love and affection for him; and they have the same sense here, being an instance a... [ Continue Reading ]
AWAKE, WHY SLEEPEST THOU, O LORD?.... Not that sleep properly falls upon God: the Keeper of Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps; his eyes are always upon his people; he never withdraws them from them, and he watches over them night and day: but sometimes he seems and is thought to be asleep; as when... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEREFORE HIDEST THOU THY FACE?.... See Psalms 10:1; [AND] FORGETTEST OUR AFFLICTION AND OUR OPPRESSION. Not that the Lord does really forget either the persons of his people, which he cannot, since they are engraven on the palms of his hands, and a book of remembrance is written for them: nor the... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR OUR SOUL IS BOWED DOWN TO THE DUST,.... Which may signify great declension in spiritual things, much dejection of mind, and little exercise of grace, Psalms 119:25; or a very low estate in temporals; subjection to their enemies; they setting their feet upon their necks, and obliging them to lick... [ Continue Reading ]
ARISE FOR OUR HELP,.... Or, "arise our help" s. God is the help of his people, and he is a present help in time of trouble; and he is the only one; and he can help and does, when none else can; AND REDEEM US FOR THY MERCIES' SAKE; not for the sake of her integrity and faithfulness; nor for her suff... [ Continue Reading ]