Scripture Daily

Context No. 4034 of 4322 · Psalms

Context · Reflection

Psalms 44:17-26: in context

17All this has come on us, yet we haven’t forgotten you. We haven’t been false to your covenant. 18Our heart has not turned back, neither have our steps strayed from your path, 19though you have crushed us in the haunt of jackals, and covered us with the shadow of death. 20If we have forgotten the name of our God, or spread out our hands to a strange god, 21won’t God search this out? For he knows the secrets of the heart. 22Yes, for your sake we are killed all day long. We are regarded as sheep for the slaughter. 23Wake up! Why do you sleep, Lord? Arise! Don’t reject us forever. 24Why do you hide your face, and forget our affliction and our oppression? 25For our soul is bowed down to the dust. Our body clings to the earth. 26Rise up to help us. Redeem us for your loving kindness’ sake.

This psalm gives voice to a hard experience: suffering while remaining faithful. All this has come upon us, the psalmist says, yet we have not forgotten you or been false to your covenant; our heart has not turned back. These were not people being punished for turning from God; they had stayed faithful, and yet they were crushed, covered with deep darkness, regarded as sheep for the slaughter.

Theirs is the bewildered cry of the innocent sufferer: why, if we have been faithful, is this happening to us? And they do not hide their confusion from God; they cry out boldly, awake, O Lord! why do you sleep? Do not reject us forever. There is honest faith here that Scripture does not censor. The psalmist does not pretend to understand why the faithful suffer, and does not paper over the pain with easy answers; he brings his raw confusion and complaint directly to God. And yet, even in the complaint, he does not turn away; his final words are a plea to the God he still trusts: rise up and help us; redeem us for the sake of your steadfast love.

When I suffer even though I have tried to be faithful, and cannot understand why, do I bring my honest confusion to God rather than turning away, and still cast myself on his steadfast love, pleading with the God I trust to help me?

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