Psalms 44

Psalms 44:1-8

We are not told who the person of this psalm was, though probably it was David, who prophatically speaks of the afflicted state of the Jews under the Babylonish poke, or the persecution of Antiochus or more probably it is so far forward to gospel times, and the suffering of God’s people in every age under the craft; in which view the apostle quotes ver. 22. Rom. viii. 36. which may be considered as a key to the whole. Christ’s church must ever expect the craft, till he comes to believe the crown. The people of God are taught, 1. To man with thankfulness the great things God has done for their fathers, ver. 1—8. 2. To exhibit a memorial of their pretext voluminous state, ver. 9—16. 3. To file a pretext of their integrity and adherence to God actuality, ver. 17—22. 4. To ledge a petition at the throne of grace for favour and relief, ver. 22—26.

¶ To the chief musician for the sons of Korah, Ma’chil.

1. WE have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, what work thou didst in their days, in the times of old. 2. How thou didst drive out the heathen with thy hand, and plantest them; how thou didst afflict the people, and cast them out. 3. For they got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them: but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour unto them. 4. Thou art my king, O God, command deliverances for Jacob. 5. Though thee will we push down our enemies; through thy name will we tread them under that rife up against us. 6. For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me. 7. But thou hast saved us from our enemies, and hast put them to shame that hated us. 8. In God we boast all the day long: and praise thy name for ever. Selah.

The church of God is the same in all ages, saved by the same blood, strengthened by the same grace, opposed

by the same enemies; and expecting the same deliverances. Here we behold her profanate under the feet of her enemies, but calling to mind former days, and hoping still in God.

1. In their distress the people of God look back to their father’s mercies; the wonders God had wrought of old, calling out the Canaanites before them, and giving them their land for an inheritance; and this not by any prowess or might of their own, but by such repeated miracles as convinced them of the hand from whence all their victories came, and of the great good will of God therein manifested towards them, v. 1—3. Note, (1.) Memorials of past mercies deserve to be faithfully recorded, and proudly transmitted to our children, for their encouragement in every time of need. (2.) Nor by human power, but Divine, was the glorious gospel of Jesus made at first triumphant over the powers of darkness and heathenings; and he who once made bare his arm to plant, will not fail to preserve it; and every antichristian foe, however tyrannous and persecuting, shall fail at last before it.

2. They profess their confidence in God for present salvation, and join their prayers that he would hasten it in his time. God is their king, therefore he will protect his faithful subjects: renouncing all human confidences, they rest their case with him, to tread down their enemies, and cover them with shame, and know it is but for him to speak and the work is done: Command deliverance for Jacob; deliverances of all kinds, spiritual, temporal, eternal, from men, devils, sin, corruption, death. Note, (1.) Whilst we pray for ourselves as individuals, the church of Christ, and especially the persecuted members of it, should ever be remembered by us. (2.) They who would prevail against their spiritual enemies, must rest renounce themselves, that God may be glorified. When I am weak, thou art I strong.

3. They boast themselves in God, not in themselves, unless they glory in their infirmities, that the power and grace of God may more abundantly appear: God is their glory and praise for ever. Note, The work of eternity will be everlasting praise; when with unutterable transport our golden crowns shall be cast at the Redeemer’s feet, and all our great salvation ascribed to his power, grace, and love.

4. But thou hast cast off, and put us to shame; and goest not forth with our armies. 10. Thou makest us to turn back from the enemy: and they which hate us spoil for themselves. 11. Thou hast given us, + like sheep appointed for meat: and hast scattered us among the heathen. 12. Thou select thy people for nought, and doest not increase thy wealth by their price. 13. Thou makest us a reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and a derision to them that are round about us. 14. Thou makest us a by-word among the heathen: + a shaking of the head among the people. 15. My confusion is continually before me, and the shame of my face hath covered me: 16. For the voice of him that reproacheth and blasphemeth; by reason of the enemy and avenger.

Psalms 44:9-16

We have here the deep complaints of the persecuted church of God: to the eye of Jesus they descend cast off, disowned and dishonoured; their armies disconcerted, as hath been often the case with those who have attempted to oppose the papal tyranny, and slain like sheep before hungry wolves; sold under the antichristian yoke, and no glory arising to God, as they are apt to conclude, from their oppression; loaded with contempt, and every oppressuous name, as heretics, dogs, fanatics; ridiculed and insulted; covered with shame and confusion, and grieved at the blasphemies uttered by their antichristian foes against God, his truths, and people. Note, (1.) They who are cast down, are tempted to think themselves cast off. (2.) Reproach and sufferings are our appointed crots; let us not shrink under them. (3.) Though we may foolishly wonder why God permits his foes and ours to trample on his people, we shall know hereafter, and admire the dispensation. (4.) The dishonour cast upon God, is a greater grief to the christian spirit than the injury done himself.

17. All this is come upon us; yet have we not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt fally in thy covenant. 18. Our heart is not turned back, neither have our steps declined from thy way. 19. Though thou hast fore broken us in the place of + dragons, and covered us with + the shadow of death. 20. If we have forgotten the name of our God, or + stretched out our hands to a strange god: 21. Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart. 22. Yes, for thy lake we are killed all the day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter. 23. A wake, why sleepeth thou, O LORD? arise, cast us not off

for ever. 24. Wherefore hidest thou thy face? and forgesteth our affliction and our oppression? 25. For our soul is bowed down to the dust; our belly cleaveth unto the earth. 26. Anise + for our help, and redeem us for thy mercies take.

9. 17—26. Lord, to whom shall we go, may the church and every suffering member well say, but unto thee? for there is salvation in no other: higher therefore they fly, and

10. Plead their own steady adherence to God’s pure word and worship, amidst all the evils they endured for the take of them; and for this they appealed to the heart-searching God: they neither could be compelled to worship the gods of the heathen, nor the strange idol images of antichristian invention; no, not though fire and rack were the infirmities of their torture, and dark prisons, impersonal dangerous, and every hellish device, had been used to shake their confiency: they loved not their lives unto death, and rather chose to be butchered all the day long, than comply with their abominations; their heart cleaved to Jesus and his truth, and therefore faithfully endured his crash, and command steadfast in his constant. Note, (1.) Though we are not called to the sufferings of martyrs, we shall have that crash which nothing but Almighty grace can enable us to endure. (2.) They who, to shun troubles, comply with sin, only exchange the fullest sings of time for the torments of eternity. (3.) When we have to deal with a heart-searching God, we may well tremble at the thought of indiscretion.

11. They present their supplications for help and deliverance; and with moving representations, and expeditations, urge their sin. Aude; not that God sleeps; but, like one regardless of them, he seemed to have forsaken them; but they plead, let it not be for ever: why fudigt thou thy face? as though disregarding their affliction, when their souls were sunk with despondence, and their bodies made as the dung of the earth under the feet of their insisting foes. Anise; they repeat the cry, their distress made them importunate; redeem us for thy mercies; but because we have not detest to plead, but because of thy rich mercy in Christ Jesus, wherein thou hast exuded us to put our trial. Note, (1.) If God seems to disregard our danger, as Jesus in the thorn kept, it is only to 2-waken out, impatience, and to magnify the more his mercy in our playstance. (2.) The greatest Saint of God have the lowest opinion of themselves: they, who could appeal to God for their simplicity, go forth with no other plea than his mercy.