Our Help
[ READ ] Psalm 44
Come to Our Help
To the choirmaster. A Maskil of the Sons of Korah.
1 O God, we have heard with our ears,
our fathers have told us,
what deeds you performed in their days,
in the days of old:
2 you with your own hand drove out the nations,
but them you planted;
you afflicted the peoples,
but them you set free;
3 for not by their own sword did they win the land,
nor did their own arm save them,
but your right hand and your arm,
and the light of your face,
for you delighted in them.
4 You are my King, O God;
ordain salvation for Jacob!
5 Through you we push down our foes;
through your name we tread down those who rise up against us.
6 For not in my bow do I trust,
nor can my sword save me.
7 But you have saved us from our foes
and have put to shame those who hate us.
8 In God we have boasted continually,
and we will give thanks to your name forever. Selah
9 But you have rejected us and disgraced us
and have not gone out with our armies.
10 You have made us turn back from the foe,
and those who hate us have gotten spoil.
11 You have made us like sheep for slaughter
and have scattered us among the nations.
12 You have sold your people for a trifle,
demanding no high price for them.
13 You have made us the taunt of our neighbors,
the derision and scorn of those around us.
14 You have made us a byword among the nations,
a laughingstock among the peoples.
15 All day long my disgrace is before me,
and shame has covered my face
16 at the sound of the taunter and reviler,
at the sight of the enemy and the avenger.
17 All this has come upon us,
though we have not forgotten you,
and we have not been false to your covenant.
18 Our heart has not turned back,
nor have our steps departed from your way;
19 yet you have broken us in the place of jackals
and covered us with the shadow of death.
20 If we had forgotten the name of our God
or spread out our hands to a foreign god,
21 would not God discover this?
For he knows the secrets of the heart.
22 Yet for your sake we are killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.
23 Awake! Why are you sleeping, O Lord?
Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever!
24 Why do you hide your face?
Why do you forget our affliction and oppression?
25 For our soul is bowed down to the dust;
our belly clings to the ground.
26 Rise up; come to our help!
Redeem us for the sake of your steadfast love!
To the choirmaster. A Maskil of the Sons of Korah.
1 O God, we have heard with our ears,
our fathers have told us,
what deeds you performed in their days,
in the days of old:
2 you with your own hand drove out the nations,
but them you planted;
you afflicted the peoples,
but them you set free;
3 for not by their own sword did they win the land,
nor did their own arm save them,
but your right hand and your arm,
and the light of your face,
for you delighted in them.
4 You are my King, O God;
ordain salvation for Jacob!
5 Through you we push down our foes;
through your name we tread down those who rise up against us.
6 For not in my bow do I trust,
nor can my sword save me.
7 But you have saved us from our foes
and have put to shame those who hate us.
8 In God we have boasted continually,
and we will give thanks to your name forever. Selah
9 But you have rejected us and disgraced us
and have not gone out with our armies.
10 You have made us turn back from the foe,
and those who hate us have gotten spoil.
11 You have made us like sheep for slaughter
and have scattered us among the nations.
12 You have sold your people for a trifle,
demanding no high price for them.
13 You have made us the taunt of our neighbors,
the derision and scorn of those around us.
14 You have made us a byword among the nations,
a laughingstock among the peoples.
15 All day long my disgrace is before me,
and shame has covered my face
16 at the sound of the taunter and reviler,
at the sight of the enemy and the avenger.
17 All this has come upon us,
though we have not forgotten you,
and we have not been false to your covenant.
18 Our heart has not turned back,
nor have our steps departed from your way;
19 yet you have broken us in the place of jackals
and covered us with the shadow of death.
20 If we had forgotten the name of our God
or spread out our hands to a foreign god,
21 would not God discover this?
For he knows the secrets of the heart.
22 Yet for your sake we are killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.
23 Awake! Why are you sleeping, O Lord?
Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever!
24 Why do you hide your face?
Why do you forget our affliction and oppression?
25 For our soul is bowed down to the dust;
our belly clings to the ground.
26 Rise up; come to our help!
Redeem us for the sake of your steadfast love!
This psalm is a bit of an emotional rollercoaster, right? The psalmist acknowledges the God of his forefathers, then confesses Him as king (v4). He writes of God’s faithfulness, but follows up with the line “you have rejected us and disgraced us” (v9). Just when hope in restoration starts to surface again (vv17-18), the psalmist once again takes a dark turn concluding with a plea for the Lord to wake up, to rise up, and redeem (vv23-26). In modern terms, the sentiment is something akin to “God… why aren’t you listening? Where are you? Do something!”
And you know what… I’d bet that God welcomes and even loves to hear such impassioned prayer. Jesus says that abiding in Him includes asking what you desire (John 15:7). Paul says to be anxious for nothing, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, present your requests to the Lord (Phil 4:6). And if you read through the rest of the Psalms, you can see this is simply the way that God’s people pray – honestly, boldly and without holding back! Afterall, God already knows what’s in our minds and hearts (v21).
Psalms like this one serve as a reminder of God’s place in our lives. Though He is sovereign, He longs to hear our cries, He loves to show His steadfast love, and in whatever trial you’re going through, He is present, listening, and redeeming you.
- Hayden Van Dyke
And you know what… I’d bet that God welcomes and even loves to hear such impassioned prayer. Jesus says that abiding in Him includes asking what you desire (John 15:7). Paul says to be anxious for nothing, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, present your requests to the Lord (Phil 4:6). And if you read through the rest of the Psalms, you can see this is simply the way that God’s people pray – honestly, boldly and without holding back! Afterall, God already knows what’s in our minds and hearts (v21).
Psalms like this one serve as a reminder of God’s place in our lives. Though He is sovereign, He longs to hear our cries, He loves to show His steadfast love, and in whatever trial you’re going through, He is present, listening, and redeeming you.
- Hayden Van Dyke
[ EXAMINE ] the passage. At this point, answer some questions about the meaning of the text. Take time to reflect.
+ What might the psalmist be referring to when he speaks of the “deeds performed in days of old” (v1)? What about when he says “you have made like sheep before slaughter” (v11)?
+ What are the implied beliefs about God that the psalmist holds?
+ What might the psalmist be referring to when he speaks of the “deeds performed in days of old” (v1)? What about when he says “you have made like sheep before slaughter” (v11)?
+ What are the implied beliefs about God that the psalmist holds?
[ APPLY ] the passage to your own life.
+ Where do you desperately need God’s help in your life?
+ Like the bow or sword referred to in v6, what might you need to drop in order to show your trust in the Lord?
+ What might be holding you back from praying honestly and boldly?
+ Where do you desperately need God’s help in your life?
+ Like the bow or sword referred to in v6, what might you need to drop in order to show your trust in the Lord?
+ What might be holding you back from praying honestly and boldly?
[ PRAY ] through the passage and your application, and ask God to change your heart and your life.
+ Pray with me:
Heavenly Father, sovereign Lord, I need you in my life. I sometimes feel that my prayers go unanswered, or that you have turned a blind eye to the troubles in my life. And yet, O Lord, I know you. I want to abide in your steadfast love and kindness. You are good and gracious, and even when I feel you are far away, I trust that you hear me when I cry. Give me strength today. Remind me of all the goodness in my life… I know you are the source of every good thing that I have, and your love will never fail.
+ Pray with me:
Heavenly Father, sovereign Lord, I need you in my life. I sometimes feel that my prayers go unanswered, or that you have turned a blind eye to the troubles in my life. And yet, O Lord, I know you. I want to abide in your steadfast love and kindness. You are good and gracious, and even when I feel you are far away, I trust that you hear me when I cry. Give me strength today. Remind me of all the goodness in my life… I know you are the source of every good thing that I have, and your love will never fail.
[ SHARE ] what God is teaching you with at least one person: your roommate,
your spouse, your kids, or your coworkers. Don’t keep what God taught you to
yourself.
(e.g., your family around the dinner table, a friend, co-worker or neighbor- for help join a community group at downtownhope.org/community-groups)
+ Who can you pray for earnestly and honestly this morning?
+ Who in your life needs to hear of the Lord’s goodness in your life?
+ When are you going to tell them?
your spouse, your kids, or your coworkers. Don’t keep what God taught you to
yourself.
(e.g., your family around the dinner table, a friend, co-worker or neighbor- for help join a community group at downtownhope.org/community-groups)
+ Who can you pray for earnestly and honestly this morning?
+ Who in your life needs to hear of the Lord’s goodness in your life?
+ When are you going to tell them?
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