20 If we have forgotten H7911 the name H8034 of our God, H430 or stretched out H6566 our hands H3709 to a strange H2114 god; H410
If thou prepare H3559 thine heart, H3820 and stretch H6566 out thine hands H3709 toward him;
And Moses H4872 said H559 unto him, As soon as I am gone out H3318 of the city, H5892 I will spread abroad H6566 my hands H3709 unto the LORD; H3068 and the thunder H6963 shall cease, H2308 neither shall there be any more hail; H1259 that thou mayest know H3045 how that the earth H776 is the LORD'S. H3068
If I have walked H1980 with vanity, H7723 or if my foot H7272 hath hasted H2363 to deceit; H4820 Let me be weighed H8254 in an even H6664 balance, H3976 that God H433 may know H3045 mine integrity. H8538 If my step H838 hath turned out H5186 of the way, H1870 and mine heart H3820 walked H1980 after H310 mine eyes, H5869 and if any blot H3971 hath cleaved H1692 to mine hands; H3709 Then let me sow, H2232 and let another H312 eat; H398 yea, let my offspring H6631 be rooted out. H8327 If mine heart H3820 have been deceived H6601 by a woman, H802 or if I have laid wait H693 at my neighbour's H7453 door; H6607 Then let my wife H802 grind H2912 unto another, H312 and let others H312 bow down H3766 upon her. For this is an heinous crime; H2154 yea, it is an iniquity H5771 to be punished by the judges. H6414 For it is a fire H784 that consumeth H398 to destruction, H11 and would root out H8327 all mine increase. H8393 If I did despise H3988 the cause H4941 of my manservant H5650 or of my maidservant, H519 when they contended H7379 with me; What then shall I do H6213 when God H410 riseth up? H6965 and when he visiteth, H6485 what shall I answer H7725 him? Did not he that made H6213 me in the womb H990 make H6213 him? and did not one H259 fashion H3559 us in the womb? H7358 If I have withheld H4513 the poor H1800 from their desire, H2656 or have caused the eyes H5869 of the widow H490 to fail; H3615 Or have eaten H398 my morsel H6595 myself alone, and the fatherless H3490 hath not eaten H398 thereof; (For from my youth H5271 he was brought up H1431 with me, as with a father, H1 and I have guided H5148 her from my mother's H517 womb;) H990 If I have seen H7200 any perish H6 for want of clothing, H3830 or any poor H34 without covering; H3682 If his loins H2504 have not blessed H1288 me, and if he were not warmed H2552 with the fleece H1488 of my sheep; H3532 If I have lifted up H5130 my hand H3027 against the fatherless, H3490 when I saw H7200 my help H5833 in the gate: H8179 Then let mine arm H3802 fall H5307 from my shoulder blade, H7929 and mine arm H248 be broken H7665 from the bone. H7070 For destruction H343 from God H410 was a terror H6343 to me, and by reason of his highness H7613 I could H3201 not endure. If I have made H7760 gold H2091 my hope, H3689 or have said H559 to the fine gold, H3800 Thou art my confidence; H4009 If I rejoiced H8055 because my wealth H2428 was great, H7227 and because mine hand H3027 had gotten H4672 much; H3524 If I beheld H7200 the sun H216 when it shined, H1984 or the moon H3394 walking H1980 in brightness; H3368 And my heart H3820 hath been secretly H5643 enticed, H6601 or my mouth H6310 hath kissed H5401 my hand: H3027 This also were an iniquity H5771 to be punished by the judge: H6416 for I should have denied H3584 the God H410 that is above. H4605 If I rejoiced H8055 at the destruction H6365 of him that hated H8130 me, or lifted up H5782 myself when evil H7451 found H4672 him: Neither have I suffered H5414 my mouth H2441 to sin H2398 by wishing H7592 a curse H423 to his soul. H5315 If the men H4962 of my tabernacle H168 said H559 not, Oh that we had H5414 of his flesh! H1320 we cannot be satisfied. H7646 The stranger H1616 did not lodge H3885 in the street: H2351 but I opened H6605 my doors H1817 to the traveller. H734 If I covered H3680 my transgressions H6588 as Adam, H121 by hiding H2934 mine iniquity H5771 in my bosom: H2243 Did I fear H6206 a great H7227 multitude, H1995 or did the contempt H937 of families H4940 terrify H2865 me, that I kept silence, H1826 and went not out H3318 of the door? H6607 Oh that H5414 one would hear H8085 me! behold, my desire H8420 is, that the Almighty H7706 would answer H6030 me, and that mine adversary H376 H7379 had written H3789 a book. H5612 Surely I would take H5375 it upon my shoulder, H7926 and bind H6029 it as a crown H5850 to me. I would declare H5046 unto him the number H4557 of my steps; H6806 as a prince H5057 would I go near H7126 unto him. If my land H127 cry H2199 against me, or that the furrows H8525 likewise H3162 thereof complain; H1058 If I have eaten H398 the fruits H3581 thereof without money, H3701 or have caused the owners H1167 thereof to lose H5301 their life: H5315 Let thistles H2336 grow H3318 instead of wheat, H2406 and cockle H890 instead of barley. H8184 The words H1697 of Job H347 are ended. H8552
O LORD H3068 my God, H430 if I have done H6213 this; if there be H3426 iniquity H5766 in my hands; H3709 If I have rewarded H1580 evil H7451 unto him that was at peace H7999 with me; (yea, I have delivered H2502 him that without cause H7387 is mine enemy:) H6887 Let the enemy H341 persecute H7291 my soul, H5315 and take H5381 it; yea, let him tread down H7429 my life H2416 upon the earth, H776 and lay H7931 mine honour H3519 in the dust. H6083 Selah. H5542
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Psalms 44
Commentary on Psalms 44 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
PSALM 44
Ps 44:1-26. In a time of great national distress, probably in David's reign, the Psalmist recounts God's gracious dealings in former times, and the confidence they had learned to repose in Him. After a vivid picture of their calamities, he humbly expostulates against God's apparent forgetfulness, reminding Him of their faithfulness and mourning their heavy sorrows.
1-3. This period is that of the settlement of Canaan (Jos 24:12; Jud 6:3).
have told—or, "related" (compare Ex 10:2).
2. plantedst them—that is, "our fathers," who are also, from the parallel construction of the last clause, to be regarded as the object of "cast them out," which means—literally, "send" them out, or, "extend them." Heathen and people denote the nations who were driven out to make room for the Israelites.
4. Thou art my King—literally, "he who is my King," sustaining the same covenant relation as to the "fathers."
5. The figure drawn from the habits of the ox.
6-8. God is not only our sole help, but only worthy of praise.
7. put … to shame—(compare Ps 6:10), disgraced.
8. thy name—as in Ps 5:11.
9. But—contrasting, cast off as abhorrent (Ps 43:2).
goest not forth—literally, "will not go" (2Sa 5:23). In several consecutive verses the leading verb is future, and the following one past (in Hebrew), thus denoting the causes and effects. Thus (Ps 44:10-12), when defeated, spoiling follows; when delivered as sheep, dispersion follows, &c.
11. The Babylonian captivity not necessarily meant. There were others (compare 1Ki 8:46).
13, 14. (Compare De 28:37; Ps 79:4).
15. shame of … face—blushes in disgrace.
16. Its cause, the taunts and presence of malignant enemies (Ps 8:2).
17-19. They had not apostatized totally—were still God's people.
18. declined—turned aside from God's law.
19. sore broken—crushed.
place of dragons—desolate, barren, rocky wilderness (Ps 63:10; Isa 13:22),
shadow of death—(Compare Ps 23:4).
20, 21. A solemn appeal to God to witness their constancy.
stretched out … hands—gesture of worship (Ex 9:29; Ps 88:9).
22. Their protracted sufferings as God's people attests the constancy. Paul (Ro 8:36) uses this to describe Christian steadfastness in persecution.
23-26. This style of addressing God, as indifferent, is frequent (Ps 3:7; 9:19; 13:1, &c.). However low their condition, God is appealed to, on the ground, and for the honor, of His mercy.