October 10 - Psalm 44

October 10 - Psalm 44

This lament is one that came after the Israelites had lost a battle.  They remembered what the Lord had done for their ancestors.  With his hand, he drove out the nations.  He brought the Israelites to the land and made it possible for them to flourish.  It was the Lord, not a group of people who had no battle training, who won the Promised Land and gave them a home (Psalm 44:1-3)

The Psalmist says that it is by the Lord’s work they push back their enemies or trample their foes.  He says that he doesn't trust in his own bow or sword, that it is the Lord who gives victory over his enemies.  Then, he says that it is in God he will boast and he will praise the name of the Lord forever (Psalm 44:4-8).

But something is wrong.  The Lord isn't paying attention. He doesn't go out with the armies when they head for battle, so they lose the battle.  The Psalmist feels as if the Lord has sold them off.  They are ridiculed by those nations surrounding them and disgraced because of the enemy (Psalm 44:9-16)

All of these things are happening, even though they haven’t forgotten the Lord or been false to the covenant.  They haven’t strayed from the path or turned their hearts from the Lord.  But, even so, the Lord has covered them with darkness (Psalm 44:17-19).

Don’t you think God would notice if we had forgotten his name or gone over to a foreign God?  Don’t you think God notices the secret places of our hearts?  Yet, we face death for your name every day, we are sheep for the slaughter (Psalm 44:20-22).

Wake up!  Do not reject us forever?  Why are you hiding and why do you not pay attention. We are miserable. We are falling and failing.  Rise up, o Lord and redeem us because of your unfailing love (Psalm 44:23-26).

This is one of those Psalms that has given me permission to question why it seems as if God simply doesn't pay attention.  Now, I am fully aware of my sin and know when the separation between me and God is my fault, but sometimes it seems as if He is just not paying attention.  And for heaven’s sake, he took care of my parents when they were struggling. I know all of those stories. I know the stories of how He cares for my friends and even for those whom I will never meet.  Why won’t you care for me … especially when I am at this point in my life?

The Psalmist isn't really expecting a literal answer.  He is really crying out.  He can’t understand why the Lord would hide from him when it seems as if the need is the greatest he has ever faced.  When I cry out and complain, I don’t need God to answer my questions, I need Him to step in and help me.

What I've learned and what I’m sure the Psalmist learned is that the Lord is helping; sometimes it just takes a little more time to understand the transformations that are occurring.  His help may not be in exactly the manner we want or expect, but it will always end up being the right thing for us.  We have a very short view of life and the Lord sees everything in all of its connections … to time and to every other thing in the universe.  It is only the Lord that can make these things work together for good.