To be honest, it’s kind of a tough psalm to read. Some psalms can make the heart soar, this one kind of makes your stomach churn. It is a cry for help . . . a desperate plea for God to act on Israel’s behalf. Now, there are other psalms where David cries out for God’s presence to return . . . where he pleads with God to intervene on behalf of His people . . . but often those are clearly linked to some transgression of Israel . . . there’s a reason for what’s happening which David remedies with confession and casts himself upon God’s mercy and grace. But here, in Psalm 44, God is silent, not because of any transgression David is aware of, . . . but just because.

David comes before the Lord acknowledging the power of God to fulfill His promises to His people. It was God who drove out the nations and planted His people in the land He had promised them . . . it was He who afflicted the inhabitants of Canaan in order to set free, in the land, the people of His deliverance (v.2). And it was HIS deliverance. David knows that it wasn’t by his ancestor’s military might that they had taken the land, but it was by God’s own right hand . . . it was because the light of God’s face shone upon them . . . it was because He delighted in them (v.3). He is the God who ordained Jacob’s salvation. David would not trust in his bow . . . he would not look to his sword to save him (v.6) . . . instead, “In God we have boasted continually, and we will give thanks to Your name forever. Selah” (v.8).

But now, the wheel’s are coming off. David and his army are getting creamed . . . they feel like “sheep for slaughter” (v.11). David says their souls are “bowed down to the dust” . . . that their bellies “cling to the ground” (v.25). They are getting wasted . . . their spirits are getting crushed . . . and all they get from heaven is silence. Where’s God? The King of their salvation seems to have gone AWOL . . . “You have rejected us and disgraced us and have not gone out with our armies” (v.9).

And it’s one thing, if this had come on the heels of some failure upon David’s part . . . it might be understandable if the people had forsaken God, in some manner. But, as far as David knows, that’s not the case, “All this has come upon us, though we have not forgotten You, and we have not been false to Your covenant. Our heart has not turned back, nor have our steps departed from Your way” (vv. 17-18). No, from where David is sitting, God’s people are being attacked by God’s enemies simply because they are God’s people . . . they are being martyred for the cause . . . “Yet for Your sake we are killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered” (v. 22) . . . and God is nowhere to be found. And so, in desperation, David cries out to a silent heaven,

Awake! Why are You sleeping, O Lord? Rouse Yourself! Do not reject us forever! Why do you hide Your face? Why do You forget our affliction and oppression? Rise up; come to our help! Redeem us for the sake of Your steadfast love!  
(Psalm 44:23,24,26 ESV)

Like I said, kind of tough to read. No apparent “cause and effect” for the drubbing the Israelites are taking. Nothing that can be identified as to why God has seemingly withdrawn from the conflict, allowing David and his army to the objects of their enemies taunts, derision, and scorn (v.13). The God who has promised to never leave them or forsake them is seemingly nowhere to be found. And it’s not like the psalm resolves itself and concludes with a happy ending or even an obvious lesson to be learned . . . at least not here. Paul provides some New Testament commentary as he quotes 44:22 . . .

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For Your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.”   (Romans 8:35-37  ESV)

In the battle? . . . taking a licking? . . . not quite sure where the Lord is in all of it . . . call out to the Redeemer. Know that ultimately the battle is His . . . and with Him lies the battle plan. Know that when heaven is seemingly silent it is not because we have been separated from the love of Christ. Know that even at it’s worst we have been declared more than conquerors through Him who loved us. Know that it’s not the time to give up . . . but to hold on . . . and to cry out . . . and wait for His deliverance.