Outlines in Psalms
Psalm 44:17-19 reads, “All this is come upon us; yet have we not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falsely in thy covenant. Our heart is not turned back, neither have our steps declined from thy way; though thou hast sore broken us in the place of dragons, and covered us with the shadow of death.”
Psalm 44:9-26 presents a scenario wherein the Lord our God had brought his faithful servants into a place of fiery trial and testing. Yet it is of significance that this psalm does not end as do so many of the other psalms, with a proclamation of the Lord’s merciful deliverance or with a prophecy of the Lord’s merciful deliverance in due time. Rather, this psalm simply ends with the continuing cry of the Lord’s faithful servants for merciful deliverance. Even so, in Psalm 44:23-26 the cry is lifted up, “Awake, why sleepest thou, O Lord? Arise, cast us not off for ever. Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and forgettest our affliction and our oppression? For our soul is bowed down to the dust: our belly cleaveth unto the earth. Arise for our help, and redeem us for thy mercies’ sake.”
Indeed, this is just how this psalm ends. Yet this portion of Psalm 44 ends in this fashion, without a proclamation or prophecy of the Lord’s merciful deliverance, specifically because it does not set its focus upon the Lord’s merciful deliverance. Rather, this portion of Psalm 44 sets its focus upon the faithful response of the Lord’s servants while under fiery trial and testing.
Psalm 44:17-19 reads, “All this is come upon us; yet have we not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falsely in thy covenant. Our heart is not turned back, neither have our steps declined from thy way; though thou hast sore broken us in the place of dragons, and covered us with the shadow of death.”
Psalm 44:9-26 presents a scenario wherein the Lord our God had brought his faithful servants into a place of fiery trial and testing. Yet it is of significance that this psalm does not end as do so many of the other psalms, with a proclamation of the Lord’s merciful deliverance or with a prophecy of the Lord’s merciful deliverance in due time. Rather, this psalm simply ends with the continuing cry of the Lord’s faithful servants for merciful deliverance. Even so, in Psalm 44:23-26 the cry is lifted up, “Awake, why sleepest thou, O Lord? Arise, cast us not off for ever. Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and forgettest our affliction and our oppression? For our soul is bowed down to the dust: our belly cleaveth unto the earth. Arise for our help, and redeem us for thy mercies’ sake.”
Indeed, this is just how this psalm ends. Yet this portion of Psalm 44 ends in this fashion, without a proclamation or prophecy of the Lord’s merciful deliverance, specifically because it does not set its focus upon the Lord’s merciful deliverance. Rather, this portion of Psalm 44 sets its focus upon the faithful response of the Lord’s servants while under fiery trial and testing.
I. The Fiery Trial of Testing from the Lord’s Hand.
A. Circumstantial Debility.
Psalm 44:9 – “But thou hast cast off, and put us to shame; and goest not forth with our armies.”
B. Circumstantial Defeat.
Proverbs 44:10 – “Thou makest us to turn back from the enemy: and they which hate us spoil for
themselves.”
C. Circumstantial Dispersion.
Psalm 44:11-12 – “Thou hast given us like sheep appointed for meat; and hast scattered us among the
heathen. Thou sellest thy people for nought, and dost not increase thy wealth by their price.”
D. Circumstantial Derision.
Psalm 44:13-14 – “Thou makest us a reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and a derision to them that are
round about us. Thou makest us a byword among the heathen, a shaking of the head among the people.”
E. Circumstantial Discouragement.
Psalm 44:15-16 – “My confusion is continually before me, and the shame of my face hath covered me, for
the voice of him that reproacheth and blasphemeth; by reason of the enemy and avenger.”
II. The Faithful Response to Testing by the Lord’s Servants.
A. Continuing in Dedication to the Lord.
Psalm 44:17-19 – “All this is come upon us; yet have we not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falsely
in thy covenant. Our heart is not turned back, neither have our steps declined from thy way; though thou
hast sore broken us in the place of dragons, and covered us with the shadow of death.”
B. Continuing in Dying Daily unto Self.
Psalm 44:20-22 – “If we have forgotten the name of our God, or stretched out our hands to a strange
god; shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart. Yea, for thy sake are we
killed all the day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter.”
C. Continuing in Dependence upon the Lord.
Psalm 44:23-26 – “Awake, why sleepest thou, O Lord? Arise, cast us not off for ever. Wherefore hidest
thou thy face, and forgettest our affliction and our oppression? For our soul is bowed down to the dust:
our belly cleaveth unto the earth. Arise for our help, and redeem us for thy mercies’ sake.”
Posted in Outlines in Psalms, In Time of Trouble, Walk in Righteousness, Biblical Humility, Trust in God
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