Recap: The psalm was written following an event of great national deliverance. However, the preceding verses vividly describe the suffering the people of God endured from their enemies.
| 44:17 | All this has come upon us; | |
| But we have not forgotten You, | ||
| Nor have we dealt falsely with Your covenant. |
The basic cause of this calamity is more than mere sin. The Psalmist boldly proclaims that they have neither forgotten God nor abandoned His covenant. This reminds us that we need to be constantly aware of our relationship with God and remain true to the covenant we made with him. Essentially, this means we must fulfill the responsibilities as a child of God.
| 44:18 | Our heart has not turned back, | |
| Nor have our steps departed from Your way; |
The heart indicates a person's inner emotions. The Psalmist assures us that he has not turned his heart from God, thus testifying to a strong inner connection. Not only are his emotions right with God, but his external life (or "steps") is consistent with this inner relationship. It is important to remember that our unseen relationship with the Lord should be manifested in our visible, external lives. That is, our conduct should always be consistent with our relationship with God.
| 44:19 | But You have severely broken us in the place of jackals, | |
| And covered us with the shadow of death. |
In spite of this bold affirmation of their relationship with God, God dealt very strongly against them. A "place of jackals" is a proverbial expression for a scene of ruin and desolation, suggesting that God had reduced their land to a desert. Furthermore, God covered them with "the shadow of death," meaning the deep gloom surrounding the time of death.
Prayer: Father, I worship You because You highly value Your relationship with Your people. Lord, I thank You for the deep relationship I have with You. I pray that I will be constantly reminded of my connection with You, no matter how difficult life may become. Lord, I also pray that my daily life may reflect my relationship with You, and I ask for Your help to live a responsible life that is honorable to You and a blessing to others. Amen.