Psalm 44 ~ Awake

Psalm 44

O God, we have heard with our ears,
our fathers have told us,
what deeds you performed in their days,
in the days of old:
2 you with your own hand drove out the nations,
but them you planted; you afflicted the peoples,
but them you set free;
 
3 for not by their own sword did they win the land,
nor did their own arm save them,
but your right hand and your arm,
and the light of your face,
for you delighted in them. 

4 You are my King, O God;
ordain salvation for Jacob!
5 Through you we push down our foes;
through your name we tread down those who rise up against us.
6 For not in my bow do I trust,
nor can my sword save me.
7 But you have saved us from our foes
and have put to shame those who hate us.
8 In God we have boasted continually,
and we will give thanks to your name forever. Selah

9 But you have rejected us and disgraced us
and have not gone out with our armies.
10 You have made us turn back from the foe,
and those who hate us have gotten spoil.
11 You have made us like sheep for slaughter
and have scattered us among the nations.
12 You have sold your people for a trifle,
demanding no high price for them.
13 You have made us the taunt of our neighbors,
the derision and scorn of those around us.
14 You have made us a byword among the nations,
a laughingstock among the peoples.
15 All day long my disgrace is before me,
and shame has covered my face
16 at the sound of the taunter and reviler,
at the sight of the enemy and the avenger.

17 All this has come upon us,
though we have not forgotten you,
and we have not been false to your covenant.

18 Our heart has not turned back,
nor have our steps departed from your way;
19 yet you have broken us in the place of jackals
and covered us with the shadow of death.
20 If we had forgotten the name of our God
or spread out our hands to a foreign god,
21 would not God discover this?

For he knows the secrets of the heart.
22 Yet for your sake we are killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.

23 Awake! Why are you sleeping, O Lord?
Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever!
24 Why do you hide your face?
Why do you forget our affliction and oppression?
25 For our soul is bowed down to the dust;
our belly clings to the ground.
26 Rise up; come to our help!
Redeem us for the sake of your steadfast love!

Roman Solider Sandals

A whole lot of violence and tension in all kingdoms - in all lives.

What is enduring? Love. The violence passes away. The lesson of Hope, Faith and Love remains.


Who actually are the writers of Psalm 44, with the Holy Spirit - from the Levitical clan, this Psalm was written by the Sons of Korah. Remember Asaph? What was Asaph's job during the reign of King David? He was chief in offering praise to God in music. He is Biblically recorded as being a chief musician and seer, or prophet.

Temple Curtain

Imagine... those men of the Bible encouraged the arts.
These ancient believers lived believing in gratitude towards Father God. Asaph, inspired by the Holy Spirit, wrote Psalm 50 and 73-83. So very different from popular culture in viewing Biblical patriarchs.

However, this Psalm is one the Holy Spirit allows complaining about the absence of God. Why would the honored Temple musicians and David's brother's children, who are - grandsons of Asaph - complain God is absent? They also held the honored public post of Gatekeeper to David's city. We are supposed to wonder. What is your answer?  Enduring. Suffering and Overcoming. Finding Gratitude and Hope.

1 Chronicles 16:5
Asaph was the chief, and next to him in rank were Zechariah, then Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-Edom and Jeiel. They were to play the lyres and harps, Asaph was to sound the cymbals,

1 Chronicles 16:7
That day David first appointed Asaph and his associates to give praise to the LORD in this manner

Twelve Psalms are written by the Sons of Korah with the Holy Spirit. The grandchildren of Asaph, one of the chief musicians.

1 Chronicles 26

¹ The divisions of the gatekeepers:

From the Korahites: Meshelemiah son of Kore, one of the sons of Asaph.

² Meshelemiah had sons:
Zechariah the firstborn,
Jediael the second,
Zebadiah the third,
Jathniel the fourth,
³ Elam the fifth,
Jehohanan the sixth
and Eliehoenai the seventh.

Asaph and his children blazed a path.
David saw them doing so. David understood the way his people needed to be treated. Asaph was the grandson of the prophet Samuel, but Asaph is not recorded as living with David as a political outlaw in caves. David forgave a lot of men for not following him during the dark hours.

David did not treat the men who joined him, only in victory, as sheep for the slaughter.

Nor did they whitewash the difficulties of life. By being real and recording realities - we can seek the Psalms in times of Trouble and see that God steps in! Endurance and not being weary in good works - has a reward.
The deep, millenniums deep belief - Good Will Be Ahead in Jesus Christ the Lord!




Father God, thank You that You do not sleep as Baal did when Elijah taunted Baal. 

With You, we trust in You to ordain salvation. You are the creator. You plant. You delight in the giving victory. David rested in You, in faith, when the days were filled with affliction and oppression.

 We wait upon You being the hearer of our prayers and the hope for our days. When circumstance defines our lives and we feel frustrated, help us to look to You in faith to either create change or perseverance in love in our characters. 

We pray for the Comfort and Love in those we Love and for the People Jesus has given us. For our Nation to be built up in our Trust. And for the red tides to be healed in Texas. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †