New Interpreter's Bible treatment of Psalm 44

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PSALM 44:1-26, LIKE SHEEP FOR SLAUGHTER

COMMENTARY

Psalm 44 is the first communal lament or complaint in the psalter. Two major issues have dominated the scholarly discussion of the psalm: (1) the circumstances in which it arose, and (2) the identity of the speaker(s). As for the first issue, a wide variety of proposals has been offered. The origin of the psalm is sometimes placed during the monarchy (see 2 Chr 20:1-12) and is often associated with Sennacherib’s campaign of 701 BCE (see 2 Kgs 18:13–19:37; Isa 36:1–37:37). Then, too, Psalm 44 is clearly reminiscent of the exile, which involved the scattering of the people (see v. 11). Since vv. 17-22 seem inconsistent with the dominant OT view that the exile was a deserved punishment (see 2 Kgs 17:19-20; 24:4-5), other dates have also been proposed, including the second-century BCE Maccabean period, when the Temple was desecrated by Antioches IV Epiphanes. The very fact that these proposals cover a range of over 500 years suggests the difficulty of dating the psalm. As John Calvin suggested long ago, almost any date after the exile would fit, “for after the return of the Jews from the captivity of Babylon, they were scarcely ever free from severe afflictions.”191

The second issue is related to the first. Noting that vv. 4, 6, 15-16 depart from the predominant first-person plural, several scholars suggest that this speaker must be the king, who speaks as a representative of the nation during the crisis.

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 Obviously, this view necessitates a pre-exilic dating of the psalm. Craigie, for instance, argues that Psalm 44 originated during some unknown pre-exilic crisis and was used during subsequent crises throughout the history of the nation.192 But as Gerstenberger points out, the alternating of plural and singular speakers can be attributed to the liturgical use of the psalm, and he suggests that the origin and use of Psalm 44 are to be associated with “Jewish worship in Persian times,” the purpose of which in part was to encourage and strengthen congregations in a threatening environment.193

Perhaps more accessible than the question of the origin of Psalm 44 is the issue of its final placement. There are striking linguistic links between Psalms 42–43 and 44 (see Commentary on Psalms 42–43), which open Book II. While Psalms 42–43 seem to be the prayer of an exiled individual, Psalm 44 is the prayer of a scattered people. Together, they set the tone for hearing the rest of the psalms in Book II, and thus they reinforce the ability of the collection to address the perpetually threatened people of God (see Introduction). This recognition allows Psalm 44 to be heard not simply as a historical artifact but as an ongoing theological resource for the people of God as they confront their vocation and the suffering that it inevitably involves (see Reflections below).

Psalm 44 can be divided into four major sections. Verses 1-8 have the character of a profession of faith that is motivated by historical recollection. In view of v. 8b, the section of bitter complaint in vv. 9-16 is unexpected, thus increasing its rhetorical impact. The vehemence of the complaint is perhaps more understandable in the light of vv. 17-22, the people’s protestation of innocence. The psalm culminates in the petition of vv. 23-26.

44:1-8. The book of Deuteronomy directs that children be told of God’s deliverance of the people from Egypt and of God’s gift of the land (Deut 6:20-25), and Psalm 44 begins by affirming that this has happened (see Judg 6:13; Ps 78:3-4). The “you” that begins v. 2 is emphatic. God’s power—symbolized by God’s “hand” (v. 2), “right hand,” (v. 3; see Exod 15:6, 13), and “arm” (v. 3; see Exod 15:16; Ps 77:15)—has been operative in the people’s history. The latter is specifically contrasted in v. 3 with “their own arm.” As in the exodus and holy war traditions (see Exodus 15; Joshua 8–12), God is portrayed as a warrior. The result is “victory” (h[wvy yusû (â, v. 3; lit., “salvation”; see vv. 4, 6, 7; and Exod 15:2 NIV); the nations have been driven out (see Deut 7:17) and the people “planted” (see Exod 15:17; Jer 24:6; 32:41). Whereas in Ps 42:2, the psalmist could not see “the face of God,” Ps 44:3 attributes victory to “the light of your face” (see also Ps 4:6). The section concludes with the observation that Israel’s past has been evidence of God’s love (see Deut 7:7-11, where the same observation is made with different vocabulary; see also Ps 149:4, where the NRSV’s “takes pleasure” translates the same verb here translated “delighted” [hxr rAzâ] and where it also accounts for the people’s “victory”).

The emphatic pronoun “you” opens v. 4 as it did v. 2, focusing attention on God. God’s control of the destiny of nations and peoples—God’s victory—is evidence of God’s sovereignty; so God is addressed as “my King” (see Pss 5:2; 68:24; 74:12; 84:3; see also Exod 15:1-18; Pss 98:1-3; 149:1-7, where God’s “victory”/“salvation,” God’s control of the nations, and God’s reign are explicitly associated; see also Psalm 2; Introduction). In addition to the repetition of “victory,” vv. 4-8 are linked to vv. 1-3 by the repetition of “sword” (vv. 3, 6). While the participation of the people is somewhat more evident in v. 5 than in vv. 2-3, the victory still belongs to God (the word translated “tread down” [swb bûs] is used elsewhere of God as warrior; see Pss 60:12; 108:13; Isa 14:21; 63:6). The people’s trust (v. 6; see Pss 4:5; 9:10; Introduction), boasting (v. 8; see Ps 34:2; cf. Pss 52:1; 97:7), and gratitude (see Pss 75:1; 79:13) are properly directed to God.

44:9-16. Nothing in vv. 1-8 has prepared for the complaint in vv. 9-16. Suddenly, delight has become rejection (v. 9; see v. 23 NIV; see also Pss 43:2; 60:1, 10; 74:1; 77:7; 88:14; 89:38; 108:11); victory has become retreat and defeat (v. 10). God is no longer the good shepherd of the “sheep” (see Pss 74:1; 79:13; 95:7; 100:3). Rather, the sheep are either being killed (v. 11a ; 

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see v. 22; Jer 12:3) or scattered (see Ezek 5:12; 12:14; 20:23). The word “sold” (rkm mAkar, v. 12) recalls former times that were not so auspicious (see Judg 2:14; 3:8; 4:2). The language of vv. 13-16 is similar to that of other individual and communal complaints. The people are taunted (v. 16; see Ps 22:6), derided (see Ps 22:7), and scorned (see Ps 79:4, where all three words occur). The word “byword” (see Ps 69:11) occurs in Deut 28:37 as part of the curses for violating the covenant, thus preparing for the people’s defense in vv. 17-22.

44:17-22. In vv. 20-21, the people suggest that they could accept their misfortune if they had worshiped a “strange god” (see Ps 81:9; Isa 43:12). But they have neither forgotten God (vv. 17, 20) nor violated the covenant (see Deut 4:23; 2 Kgs 17:15). They have not “turned back” (see Ps 78:57), yet they suffer (v. 19; on v. 19a, cf. Isa 34:13; Jer 9:11; 10:22; on v. 19b, cf. Pss 23:4; 107:10). Thus all they can conclude is that their suffering is “Because of you” (v. 22). Verse 22 recalls v. 11a, although the Hebrew words translated “slaughter” differ in the two verses (lkam ma )akAl, v. 11a ; hjbf tibhâ, v. 22). The one in v. 22 occurs also in Isa 53:7 (see Ps 69:7), which is part of the climactic Suffering Servant song, another text that pushes toward new and deeper understandings of suffering (see Reflections below).

44:23-26. Given the people’s conclusion in v. 22, all that they can do is desperately plead for God to wake up (see Pss 7:6; 35:23; 59:4-5) as they bombard God with questions. God is not supposed to sleep (see Ps 121:4); God is not supposed to hide God’s face (see Pss 13:1; 22:24; 27:9); God is not supposed to forget affliction (see Pss 9:12, 18; 10:12; 42:9). A final complaint (v. 25; the NRSV’s “sinks down” translates a verb [hjv sAhâ] that is very similar to “cast down” in Pss 42:5, 11; 43:5) precedes the threefold petition of the concluding verse: “Rise up” (see Pss 3:7; 74:22), “help” (see Pss 22:19; 38:22; 40:13), “redeem” (see Pss 25:22; 34:22). The appeal is to God’s fundamental character: steadfast love (see Exod 34:6-7; Pss 5:7; 6:4; Introduction). While God is the problem, God is also the solution. As Mays suggests, “the last hope of a faithful people is the faithfulness of God.”194

REFLECTIONS

The unexpected movement from vv. 1-8 to vv. 9-16 reveals the pathos of Psalm 44; God’s faithful people suffer, even when they do not deserve it (vv. 17-22). Thus they are left to appeal for help (vv. 23-26) to the one who is apparently the source of the problem (vv. 11, 22). This is the paradox of the individual complaints and of the book of Job as well. For the psalmists and for Job, every experience of life is somehow an experience of God. Like Psalm 44, for instance, Psalm 13 moves from bitter complaint (cf. Ps 13:1 to 44:24) to petition and to the psalmist’s taking a stand on God’s steadfast love (cf. 13:5 to 44:26). The paradox of the complaints pushes toward a profound understanding of suffering (see Commentary on Psalms 13; 22).

Crucial in this regard in Psalm 44 are vv. 11 and 22. In commenting on v. 22, Mays concludes:

“For your sake” meant they could see no other meaning and purpose in their confession and trust [see vv. 1-8] than that they were accounted as sheep for slaughter. But that minimal and doleful interpretation of their suffering opens on the prospect of an understanding of suffering as a service to the kingdom of God. The prospect leads to the suffering servant of Isaiah 53, to Jewish martyrs, and to the cross of Calvary.195

For Israel, the experience of exile and the ongoing afflictions of the post-exilic era necessitated a reconsideration of suffering. While it is not clear that the origin of Psalm 44 can be related to the exile, it is certain that Psalm 44 and other complaints assisted Israel to reach in the

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 post-exilic era a new and profound understanding of its suffering and its vocation. In this regard, the similarity to Isaiah 53 is not surprising (cf. Ps 44:11, 22 to Isa 53:7). Israel came to understand its mission to the world in terms of a suffering that is somehow redemptive.

This understanding of suffering, election, and vocation makes comprehensible the life and death of Jesus Christ. Jesus could even pronounce his followers blessed when they experienced the kind of rejection and derision described in Ps 44:13-16 (see Matt 5:10-11). In his consideration of “the sufferings of this present time” (Rom 8:18 NRSV) that are experienced by “God’s elect” (Rom 8:33 NRSV), the apostle Paul quoted Ps 44:22 (see Rom 8:36) to illustrate the nature of the Christian life. Suffering is not a sign of separation from God or from God’s love; rather, it marks those who have been chosen to follow Jesus Christ (see Mark 8:34-35).