Psalms 44
DortThe Church doth comfort and strengthen her self, by the meditation of Gods former mercies; but withal doth largely and dolefully represent unto him her present lamentable condition, under the power of her Enemies, wherein protesting of her stedfastness in faith and obedience, she solicits for deliverance.
1. An Instruction, [See of this title Psa.42.on v.1.] for the chief song-master, among the children of Korah.
2. O God we have heard it with our ears, our Fathers have told it us, [i.e. our progenitors, fore-fathers] thou hast wrought a work in their days, in the days of old. [Heb. Days of oldness.]
3. Thou hast driven away the heathens out of the possession, but planted them; [Our forefathers] thou hast plagued the nations [Heb. Done evil to, i.e. destroyed them, brought all manner of plagues upon them] and contrarily made them to propagate. [Like unto a vine, spread abroad at Large. See Psa.80.9,10,&c.]
4. For they have not inherited the Land by their sword, and their arm hath given them no salvation, [Or conquest, victory. See 2 Sam.8.on v.6.] but thy right hand and thine arm, and the light of thy face, [or countenance i.e. thy gracious presence, favour and assistance. Comp.Psa.43.on v.3. and Numb.6.on v.25,26.] because thou hadst a well-pleasing in them.
5. Thou thy self art my King, O God; [Thus the Prophet speaketh here, and in the sequel, in the name and behalf of the Church] command the salvations [Psa.42.9. see Lev.25.on verse 21.] of Jacob, (i.e. of Jacobs posterity, thy people Israel.]
6. Through thee shall we push our Enemies with horns: [A similitude taken from horned beasts, see Duet.33.on verse 17.] in thy name shall we trample those that rise up against us.
7. For I do not trust in my Bow, and my sword shall not save me.
8. But thou savest us from our Adversaries, and thou makest our haters ashamed.
9. In God we glory all the day, and we will praise thy name in eternity, Sela! [See Psa.3.on verse 3.]
10. But (now) hast thou rejected and ashamed us; because thou marchest not forth with our host.
11. Thou makest us to turn backwards from our adversaries, [i.e. to fly before our Enemies, or hast made us to turn backwards, and so in sequel] and our haters rob us, for them(selves.) [i.e. they spoil us of our goods for their profit, enriching themselves with our propriety which they have robbed us of.]
12. Thou givest us up like sheep for food, [Heb. Sheep of food, i.e. such as are slain and fed on, compare verse 23.] and thou scatterest us among the Heathen.
13. Thou sellest thy people for no value, [Heb. For no good, or richs, or for that which is no riches, yields no good.i.e. as for nothing, they are indeed delivered over as sold wares, but without a price] and thou doest not raise (or, enhaunce) their price. [Heb. Dost not multiply, or magnify in their price; or, set them to strive for the price. The manner of speaking seems to be taken from a custom they had in selling, where usually the bidden price is raised, if the ware be of any value: but the Prophet doth imply, that Gods people is sold away, as if it were not worth the pains of asking more, or making the buyer to bid more then he offered at first; that is to say, they were very little esteemed, yea far less then the very slaves, who are not sold off straight for the first bidding, whose price is at least kept up a while, if not raised higher, compare Deut.28.68. Oth. Thou makest no profit; or thou dost not multiply (i.e. enrich thy self) of their price: thou gettest no advantage, or gain of (or by) their price; the Enemy taking and carrying them away as for nothing, that the sale makes no return at all.]
14. Thou settest us (for) a reproach to our neighbours, for a scorn and a mocking to those that are round about us.
15. Thou settest us (for) a By word (or Proverb) among the Heathen; for a shaking of the head among the Nations. [See 1 King.9.on verse 8. And 2 King.19.on verse 21.]
16. My blemish is before me all the day, and the shame of my face covereth me.
17. For the voice of the Revile and of the Slanderer, because of the enemy and the revengeful.
18. All this is come upon us, nevertheless have we not forgotten thee, [This is to be understood of the faithful and constant ones among the people, who lament here, that they do not suffer as evil doers and forsakers of God; but contrarily, that they adhere stedfastly to God and his word, as they yet further testify, below verse 23.] nor dealt falsly against thy Covenant.
19. Our heart is not turned back, nor our walk receded from thy path. [i.e. from the Commandements wherein thou hast commanded us to walk.]
20. Howbeit, thou hast shivered us in a place of Dragons, [Hereby may be understood the Heathenish Tyrants, Heb.of the Dragon, Otherw. Of the Whales.i.e. as into a Sea; that is, into the greatest extremity, and utmost dangers and jeopardy.] and covered us with a shadow of death. [see Psal.23.on verse 4.]
21. Had we forgotten the name of our God; and spread our hands abroad unto a strange God, [To adore and worship the same, comp.Exod.9.29. 1 King.8.22. Psa.143.6.]
22. Should not God search the same? For he knoweth the hiddennesses of the heart.
23. (But) for thy sake are we put to death all the day; [Because we will not forsake thee, but stand to live and dye in thy Covenant.] we are counted as slaughter-sheep.
24. Awake, why shouldest thou sleep LORD? [Spoken of God after the manner of men, as elsewhere frequently, when God withdraws, or delays his help; otherwise he neither sleepeth nor slumbereth, Psa.121.4.] awake and reject not in eternity.
25. Why shouldest thou hide thy face? Forget our misery and our oppression.
26. For our soul is bowed down into the dust: our belly cleaveth to the Earth. [i.e. we are brought extream low, and oppressed, scorned, distressed and dismayed without measure. Compare Psa.113.7. and 119.25. Item Lam.3.29.]
27. Arise for our help, [Oth. A compleat help for us, to express, that the Hebrew word here used, Hath a letter more then ordinary added in the end. Compare Psa.3.on v.3. and below Psa.63.8.] and redeem us for thy kindness sake.