Recap: The whole nation is suffering, presumably as a punishment for its sins. However, the Psalmist, who feels innocent, is perplexed by his personal suffering. This particular psalm is unique because it seeks a reason for the nation's disaster that goes beyond their own guilt. The Psalmist finds an answer, declaring: "We are being killed for your sake," which suggests their distress is part of a larger, worldwide battle against God and his chosen King. The New Testament later uses this concept to explain why the Church is persecuted, asserting that it ultimately will be victorious.
| 44:20 | If we had forgotten the name of our God, | |
| Or stretched out our hands to a foreign god, |
The Psalmist asserts that they have not forgotten God and have not worshiped any deity other than Jehovah. The phrase "stretched out our hand" is used figuratively to mean worship or prayer.
| 44:21 | Would not God search this out? | |
| For He knows the secrets of the heart. |
God is omniscience and nothing can be hidden from him. Psalmist is asserting his innocence. By the way, only God can read our minds. No human being, no angels, or evil spirits can read our mind. Hence, don't be afraid of any such being will read our mind. At the same time, we should fear God who knows the secrets of my heart and absolutely honest before him.
| 44:22 | Yet for Your sake we are killed all day long; | |
| We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. |
The theological crux of this Psalm—the ultimate reason for God's people's suffering—is revealed in the phrase, "For your sake." This means the Psalmist and his people suffer because the world hates their King, the Lord. While this is the ultimate cause, we can't deny that sin often serves as the immediate cause of suffering. The intense, persistent nature of their suffering is emphasized by the phrase "killed all day long." Furthermore, the image of being like "sheep for the slaughter" suggests that the world views them as having no rights; the common standards of 'human rights' simply do not apply to God's people.
Prayer: Father, I thank you for showing me how closely we are related to you, a truth made clear when the world opposes us because of that relationship. Lord, give me the strength and courage to affirm, like the Psalmist, that I have been faithful in my devotion to you. Please grant me the grace to persevere through suffering when if and when it comes. Amen.