Psalms 44

We have heard with our ears, God; our fathers have told us what work you did in their days, in the days of old: the communal ear receives the fathers' report—deeds of God in the days of old, not rumor but handed memory.

Listen again to what the fathers told. Let remembered deeds steady present lament; refuse a forgetfulness that never rehearses his works.

Calvin: We have heard with our ears—not redundant speech but weight: grace toward the fathers so renowned that no doubt remains. Fathers declared what they certainly knew; knowledge not lost by antiquity but preserved from fathers to children. God manifested goodness not for ten or twenty years only, but, having received them into favor, never ceased continued tokens of grace.

Treat the fathers' report as warrant for prayer. Let handed memory of grace feed hope; refuse despair that cuts the church off from her fathers' God.

“You drove out the nations with your hand, but you planted them.” You afflicted the peoples, but you spread them you set free; His hand expelled and planted, afflicted and set free—one agency behind both uprooting and rooting.

Name planting as God's work. Remember that the land was gift, not self-made; refuse pride that forgets whose hand drove and planted.

Calvin: God with his own hand expelled the heathen to plant the children of Abraham; wasted them that he might multiply the seed. Ancient inhabitants compared to trees long rooted; sudden change as plucking up to plant others. Blessing then caused the chosen to increase as a tree spreading roots and branches. Faith calls former works to mind to inspire stronger hope under the same covenant bond with the fathers.

Read expulsion and planting as one gracious hand. Hope from unchangeable covenant favor; refuse a comparison with the fathers that only breeds despair.

“For they didn’t get the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them; but your right hand, your arm, and the light of your face, because you were favorable to them.” Sword and arm fail as causes; right hand, arm, and the light of his face win—because he delighted in them.

Confess the land was not won by your sword. Trace victory to his delight; refuse self-saving that never needs his face.

Calvin: They got not the land by their own sword—confirming that another planted them. Right hand, arm, and light of countenance amplify wonderful preservation; light is manifestation of favor, serene face when enemies fell. Closing word resolves all into good pleasure: Thou hadst a favor for them—no worthiness in Abraham or desert in posterity, but free love. Source and origin of the Church is the free love of God; cause of difference between elect and the rest referred to mere good pleasure.

Yield God what belongs to him by owning worthless strength. Trace heritage to free favor; refuse a delusion that arrogates the land as properly one's own.

God, you are my King. Wesley: My king—The whole people speak as one man, being united in one body. Kingship named, then asked: ordain salvation for Jacob.

Address him as King for the whole people. Ask him to ordain salvation; refuse a unity that never petitions its King.

Calvin: Thou, even thou, art my King—goodness not only in first deliverance but flowing in continued succession; hu may stack benefits after the first, or emphatically claim God alone as guardian to the exclusion of all other aid. Hence the prayer that God would ordain and send forth new deliverances as messengers wherever it seems good to him.

Claim God alone as King and source of deliverances. Seek new salvation from the same King; refuse helpers that rival his ordaining hand.

Through you, we will push down our adversaries. Through your name, we will tread down those who rise up against us. Pushing and treading are through him and his name—not bare muscle.

Fight in his name. Ascribe the push-down to him; refuse a victory story that never mentions his name.

Calvin: Through thee we have pushed with the horn our adversaries—similitude from bulls: more than human strength to overturn what opposed them. In God and in the name of God mean they fought under his authority and direction. What was said of the fathers they apply to themselves as still one body of the Church, that grace may continue to flow.

Own victories as under his name. Keep continuity with the fathers' Church; refuse a self-horn that never needed his direction.

For I will not trust in my bow, neither will my sword save me. Bow and sword are renounced as trust—saving power is elsewhere.

Put no trust in the bow. Name the limits of your weapons; refuse a confidence that never needs God.

Calvin: They ascribe victories wholly to God because they were unable to arrive at such consummation by their own sword or bow. Considering how worthless we are without God more clearly illustrates his grace.

Confess weapon-limits as theology, not mere tactics. Let weakness magnify grace; refuse trust that stops at the bow.

But you have saved us from our adversaries, and have shamed those who hate us. Past tense of salvation and shame—God did it.

Remember he has saved and shamed foes. Let past rescue fuel present plea; refuse amnesia under new pressure.

Calvin: They declare they were saved by the power of God, and that he chased away and put to shame their enemies—continuing the boast that strength and shame alike are his doing.

Trace both rescue and the foe's shame to God. Hold the same power for today's need; refuse a reading that credits chance.

In God we have made our boast all day long. We will give thanks to your name forever. Selah Continual boast and forever thanks close the first movement before Selah.

Boast in God, not in arms. Keep thanksgiving open-ended; refuse a pause that never resumes praise.

Calvin: Conclusion of the first part—goodness so great toward Abraham's children that it furnishes continual matter of thanksgiving. Without ceasing they ought to praise, having flourished not for one age only but successively; prosperity becomes holy joy when it bursts forth in God's praises. Grateful hearts ascribe victories to God alone and read long experience as confirming hope.

Let prosperity become praise. Strip vain boasting; refuse thanks that never runs forever.

But now you rejected us, and brought us to dishonor, and don’t go out with our armies. The turn: rejection, disgrace, and absent leadership in war—spoken to God, not to fate.

Bring the But you to him. Name rejection without abandoning prayer; refuse a silence that never tells him the armies feel alone.

Calvin: Nevertheless thou hast abhorred us—complaint of present misery: change showing God not only ceased accustomed favor but seemed openly adverse. Zanachta: abhorred, or forget, or cast off. Put to shame because all goes ill when his protection is withdrawn; he no longer goes forth as leader or standard-bearer.

Lament withdrawal to the God who led. Seek his going-forth again; refuse a reading that makes absence ultimate.

You make us turn back from the adversary. Those who hate us take plunder for themselves. Turning back and spoil are ascribed to his making—not random collapse.

Own the flight before him. Ask for courage restored; refuse blame that never returns to his hand.

Calvin: Thou hast made us to turn back—saints believe men are valiant only as God upholds them, and conclude that fleeing and trembling are his striking with terror. Language from the Law (Deut 32:30): how should one chase a thousand except the Rock had sold them. Strength once possessed was his gift; fear now is punishment from the same hand. Enemies destroy at pleasure as their prey.

Read flight as under his appointment, not bare fortune. Seek relief from the hand that wounded; refuse a worldview where terror has no Lord.

You have made us like sheep for food, and have scattered us among the nations. Wesley: Scattered—Those who were not slain are carried into captivity, and dispersed in several places. Sheep for slaughter and scattering among the nations name the double grief.

Name slaughter-likeness and dispersion without hardening. Cry for the scattered; refuse a calm that never feels captivity.

Calvin: Given as sheep for food—already vanquished before battle, fallen ready to be devourered, fit only for insatiable cruelty. Faithful represent God as author of calamities not to murmur but to seek relief from the same hand that smote. Scattered among the heathen: dispersion a hundred times more grievous than death—glory was unity under one God and King; mingled among nations signals heavy curse.

Bring sheep-slaughter and scattering to God's hand for help. Prefer his unity to despairing scatter; refuse fortune-talk that never prays.

You sell your people for nothing, and have gained nothing from their sale. You sell your people for nothing and gain nothing from the sale. Sold cheap—people treated as nearly worthless in the market of foes.

Plead the insult of a trifle price. Ask him to value his people again; refuse a bargain-reading that never appeals to his ownership.

Calvin: Sold thy people and not become rich—exposed as contemptible slaves of no value; not increased the price as in auction to the highest bidder. Cast out as worthless, condition worse than bond-slave. Appeal to God rather than enemies; learn that adversity is best met by meditating his providence—tried to chastise, exercise patience, subdue flesh, or humble to self-denial.

Take cheap sale to the Seller for redress. Hold inheritance identity under ignominy; refuse a cross-dread that abandons faith.

You make us a reproach to our neighbors, a scoffing and a derision to those around us. Neighbors' taunt, derision, and scorn—near foes wounding by mockery.

Bring neighborhood scorn to God. Do not answer taunt with taunt; refuse a thick skin that never prays.

Calvin: Reproach to neighbors—often neighborhood breeds discord; special for Jews whose religion stirred rage. Greatest calamity: reproach from those who hated them for worship of the true God. Beset round about so that only miraculous preservation gave peace.

Own scorn for the true God's sake. Seek his preserving hand; refuse rage that mirrors the neighbors.

You make us a byword among the nations, a shaking of the head among the peoples. Byword and laughingstock—name spread far as jest.

Carry the byword to him. Endure far mockery without denying his name; refuse a reputation-cure that abandons covenant.

Calvin: Proverb and nodding of the head among distant nations—no people more detested; name bandied as reproach. Faithful compare punishments with Law-threatenings (Deut 28); heathen scoffing at the chosen is unseemly yet foretold.

Read laughingstock under the Law's warnings without surprise. Hold chosen identity; refuse a detestation that makes you forsake God.

All day long my dishonor is before me, and shame covers my face Disgrace all day and shame covering the face—personal voice inside the communal wound.

Admit face-covering shame to God. Stay before him when disgrace will not lift; refuse hiding that never lifts the eyes to pray.

Calvin: Reproach daily before me—col-hayom: long continuance, entire day or succession of days; no end to misfortunes. Singular voice may still speak the Church's name. Overwhelmed with shame, daring not to lift face, because no respite from insolence of enemies.

Let Church and singular sufferer speak together. Seek end of all-day disgrace from him; refuse a shame that never returns to prayer.

“At the taunt of one who reproaches and verbally abuses, because of the enemy and the avenger.” Wesley: Avenger—Who executeth both God's and his own vengeance upon me. Sound and sight of taunter, reviler, enemy, and avenger press the shame.

Name the avenger's double edge without collapsing. Bring taunt and vengeance-language to God; refuse panic that never petitions.

Calvin: Voice of him who reproaches; face of the enemy and the avenger—epithet among Hebrews denoting barbarity and cruelty accompanied with pride. Forced unceasingly to hear blasphemies; calamities accumulated so they could not hide in a corner.

Treat proud cruelty as the avenger's mark. Seek God's defense against barbarous scorn; refuse a reading that baptizes the enemy's rage as final.

All this has come on us, yet we haven’t forgotten you. We haven’t been false to your covenant. Wesley: Yet—Although we cannot excuse ourselves from many other sins, yet through thy grace we have kept ourselves from apostacy and idolatry, notwithstanding all examples and provocations. Covenant fidelity claimed under grace—not amnesia of every fault.

Plead covenant loyalty without pretending sinlessness. Hold to him against apostasy's pull; refuse a confession that excuses idolatry or a pride that claims no need of grace.

Calvin: All this has come on us, and we have not forgotten thee, nor dealt falsely in thy covenant—not accusing God of injustice, but resting that he has good reasons even when none are obvious. They allege patient endurance: not past distant virtues, but that in hard trials they did not turn from his service. Hypocrites bless in prosperity and rage in hardship; here they kept covenant when favor was not shown. Long before Antiochus many abuses provoked vengeance—they have no boast of perfect integrity for that period; God spared them more for his name than their sins. They allege patience: heart not turned back, steps not declined.

Plead faithfulness under affliction without claiming total innocence. Stay in covenant when favor hides; refuse both murmur that charges God and a boast that needs no mercy.

Our heart has not turned back, neither have our steps strayed from your path; Wesley: Turned—From thy worship to idols. Heart and steps still face his way—worship not traded for idols.

Keep heart and feet from idol-turn. Watch the first backward step; refuse a piety of heart that never shows in steps.

Calvin: Heart has not turned back; steps not declined from thy path—God daily invites, so hearts must be ready; outward life testifies unfeigned devotion. Paths of God may mean doctrine or prosperous events; here fidelity of course under waste.

Join heart and steps on his path. Let affliction prove devotion, not invent another god; refuse a turn that seeks relief apart from him.

“Though you have crushed us in the haunt of jackals, and covered us with the shadow of death.” Wesley: Broken us—By inflicting upon us one breach after another, thou hast at last brought us to this pass. The place—A place extremely desolate, such as dragons love, and therefore full of horror, and danger. Covered us—With deadly horrors and miseries. Breach on breach in a desolate, deadly place.

Name successive breaches and deadly cover without quitting. Cry from the jackals' place; refuse a toughness that never admits horror.

Calvin: Although thou hast crushed us in the haunt of dragons—ki as although. Place of dragons read as deepest gulfs of the sea; tannim preferably whales; covered with shadow of death as swallowed of death itself. Form of prayer for invincible fortitude: even in extremity, not ceasing to trust, no temptation expelling his fear, eyes still directed to him.

Pray from the death-shadow without inventing another helper. Hold fortitude that still trusts; refuse a brokenness that stretches hands to a strange god.

If we have forgotten the name of our God, or spread out our hands to a strange god, Conditional self-examination: forgetting the name or hands spread to a foreign god—hypothetical they deny.

Test the heart for foreign gods. Keep hands from strange altars; refuse a crisis piety that invents new helpers.

Calvin: Protest that they lifted heart and hands to none but the God of Israel—confused notions of deity are not enough; true religion in purity. Murmurers frame a god after pleasure; Satan suggests seeking another God or another way to appease when affliction continues. Stretching hands to a strange god marks divided hope; contented with God alone they did not gaze for other means.

Refuse divided confidence under long affliction. Keep name and hands for the true God; refuse new gods born of despair.

“Won’t God search this out? For he knows the secrets of the heart.” Discovery is certain—he knows heart-secrets; the plea invites his search.

Welcome the heart-searcher. Plead integrity that can stand his knowing; refuse a protest that hopes he does not see.

Calvin: Shall not God search this out?—solemn protestation appealing to him as judge of integrity. They plead as before his judgment-seat; nothing hidden. Hypocrites call God to witness imagining disguise escapes him; whenever we come before God, remember nothing is gained by vain pretense—he knows the heart.

Appeal to the Searcher without costume. Let secret-knowing purify the plea; refuse a witness-call that hides.

Yes, for your sake we are killed all day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter. Wesley: Yea—Because we are constant in thy worship, which they abhor.

Own suffering for faithful worship. Stay constant when worship is hated; refuse a quiet that buys safety by apostasy.

Calvin: Surely for thy sake we are killed all day—another plea for mercy: sufferings not for crimes of theirs but because the ungodly, hating God's name, oppose them. Not foolish complaint; they plead wrongful suffering for his sake that he may vigorously defend his glory. Condition of the Church in all ages (Rom 8:36): continual warfare bearing the cross. Still not free from all blame—God may chastise—yet in goodness pardons and allows unmerited persecutions that we glory in bearing the cross with Christ. Rage inflamed because they would not revolt from the Law.

Drink the cup of suffering for his name. Ready the cross as Church condition; refuse weariness that forsakes Christ to escape dying while we live.

The psalmist dares to call on the Lord to wake up. Why do you sleep, Lord? Awake and rouse against forever rejection—bold lament that still calls him Lord.

Cry Awake without abandoning hope. Ask him not to reject forever; refuse a sleep-charge that becomes unbelief.

Calvin: Arise, O Lord! why sleepest thou?—saints may plead in this babbling manner for help, yet must be fully persuaded he keeps watch for their safety. Guard against Epicurus's god who dwells in heaven delighting only in idleness. Insensibility is so great we do not at once comprehend his care; they ask evidence he is neither forgetful nor slow. Believe he ceases not to regard us though he appears not to; faith, not flesh, assures this—so they utter contrary sense from present view and discharge morbid affections that faith may shine pure.

Plead Awake while trusting he watches. Seek evidence of care without framing an idle deity; refuse both numb silence and a god who never regards.

Why do you hide your face, and forget our affliction and our oppression? Hidden face and seeming forgetfulness of affliction—double Why still addressed to him.

Ask Why about hidden face and forgotten oppression. Keep the questions before him; refuse a face-search that looks elsewhere.

Calvin: Why hidest thou thy face? wilt thou forget our misery and affliction?—continuing the plea that apparent forgetfulness and hidden face be answered by renewed regard.

Bring hidden-face grief to the same Lord. Wait for his turning; refuse a forgetfulness-story that ends the covenant.

For our soul is bowed down to the dust. Our body clings to the earth. Wesley: Our soul—Our persons. Our belly—We are not only thrown down to the earth, but we lie there like dead carcases. Dust-bowed soul and ground-clinging belly—prostrate low.

Admit carcass-low misery. Cry from the dust; refuse a dignity that will not bow in petition.

Calvin: Soul humbled to the dust; belly cleaves to the earth—not ordinary affliction: crushed and laid on the earth unable to rise. Soul as the life-part: cast down, prostrate on the belly, without hope of getting up.

Name dust-low helplessness to move him to help. Seek rising from the same God; refuse a prostration that never asks to be raised.

Rise up to help us. Redeem us for your loving kindness’ sake of your steadfast love! Final double plea: rise and help; redeem for steadfast love—not for their merit.

Shared closing with both camps—ask him to rise and redeem for his steadfast love. Rest the case on his hesed; refuse a self-redeeming that never needs mercy.

Calvin: Arise for our help, and redeem us for thy goodness' sake—redeem means no ordinary help; preservation only by redeeming. They meditate the great redemption from which daily deliverances flow. Having boasted steadfast faith, they do not claim recompense for what done and suffered; content to ascribe salvation to unmerited goodness alone.

Shared closing with both camps—seek redeeming help for goodness' sake. Boast faith without billing God; refuse a plea grounded in desert rather than steadfast love.