Daily Devotion of Psalm 44

Daily Nugget:

Psalm 44, when outlined, shows steps a believer should take when he finds himself without God’s help.  He may find himself at the business end of God’s wrath because of his disobedience to God’s commandments, but there is usually hope for God’s renewed assistance. Once again, there can be rekindled fellowship between a wayward believer and a Holy God.

The steps a believer must take are apparent in the chapter:

1)     The believer must know/hear (vs. 1) what God is capable of doing:( (vss. 1-3, 7).

i)       What God has done in the past and how he dealt with the ungodly (vs. 2). 

(a)   That God afflicted them (vs. 2).

(b)   That God cast them out of where they dwelt (vs. 2)

ii)      That God often delivers people but not by their hand (vs.3).

iii)    God helps His people because He loves them (vs. 3).

iv)    God can deliver His own and shame those that oppose the children of God (vs. 7).

2)     The believer must have faith that:

i)       God is their King (vs. 4).

ii)      God can do anything (vs. 5).

iii)    God is worthy to be praised (vs. 8).

iv)    God has not forgotten His own (vs. 17).

v)     God will keep His promises (vs. 17).

3)     The signs of God’s chastising hand may be:

i)       Allowing His people to be embarrassed, ashamed, and defeated (vs. 9, 10-11, 15).

ii)      Not defending His own (vs.9).

iii)    Allowing His people to be enslaved (vs. 12).

iv)    Allowing His people to be disliked and hated (vss. 13, 14, 16).

v)     Allowing His people to have no peace and to be confused (vs. 15).

4)     The believer must repent of sin and plea for His help. (vss. 23-26).

i)       If any have neglected and forgotten God (vss.17,  20).

ii)      If any have honored other “gods” (vs. 20).

iii)    God knows their true heart even though their flesh may be weak (vs. 21).

iv)    The believer must humble himself (vs. 25).

v)     Ask for His help (vs. 26).

Every believer, and even nations can find themselves drifted away for the Lord, His will, and way. However, God is a second, third, thirty … one hundred chance God.  There is usually a way back to receive God’s mercy and help.

Words to Understand:

Blasphemeth: To speak about God with irrelevance

Byword: a common saying

Covenant: promise, commitment

Maschil: To understand, to receive instruction, an instructive poem

Reproach: disgraced, shamed

Today’s Reading:

Psalm 44

1  To the chief Musician for the sons of Korah, Maschil. ` 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 plantedst 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 Through thee will we push down our enemies: through thy name will we tread them under that rise 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.

9 ¶ 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 sellest thy people for nought, and dost 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 byword 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.

17 ¶ All this is come upon us; yet have we not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falsely in thy covenant.

18 Our heart is not turned back, neither have our steps declined from thy way;

19 Though thou hast sore 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 Yea, for thy sake are we killed all the day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter.

23 Awake, why sleepest thou, O Lord? arise, cast us not off for ever.

24 Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and forgettest our affliction and our oppression?

25 For our soul is bowed down to the dust: our belly cleaveth unto the earth.

26 Arise for our help, and redeem us for thy mercies' sake.