On Psalm 44—Part 1
(Ps 44:1) To the chief Musician for the sons of Korah, Maschil. We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, what work thou didst in their days, in the times of old.
Fathers were asked to teach their children in various passages. For example, De 6:6-7 states that "these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up". It was necessary to teach not only the law, but also the works of the Lord, as can be seen from the following passage.
(Ps 78:4) We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done.
(Ps 78:5) For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children:
(Ps 78:6) That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children:
The following verse mentions the time when the nations living in the promised land were driven out and Israel was planted there.
(Ps 44:2)MKJV You drove out the nations with Your hand, and planted them; You brought evil on peoples and cast them out.
(Ps 44:3) For they did not get the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them; but it was Your right hand, and Your arm, and the light of Your face, because You favored them.
(De 4:36) Out of heaven he made thee to hear his voice, that he might instruct thee: and upon earth he shewed thee his great fire; and thou heardest his words out of the midst of the fire.
(De 4:37) And because he loved thy fathers, therefore he chose their seed after them, and brought thee out in his sight with his mighty power out of Egypt;
(De 4:38) To drive out nations from before thee greater and mightier than thou art, to bring thee in, to give thee their land for an inheritance, as it is this day.
If one considered the mighty works that the Lord had done in the past, he would be encouraged to ask God for help.
(Ps 44:4) Thou art my King, O God: command deliverances for Jacob.
(Ps 44:5) Through thee will we push down our enemies: through thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us.
The enemies of the believers are Satan and his angels. While these enemies may influence people to become hostile, the struggle of the believer is not against people but against Satan and his angels (Eph 6:12). "Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you" (Lk 10:19). "And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly" (Ro 16:20)EMTV. "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty by God to the pulling down of strongholds" (2Co 10:3-4)EMTV.
(Ps 44:6) For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me.
(Ps 44:7) But thou hast saved us from our enemies, and hast put them to shame that hated us.
In Ps 44:7, the Hebrew word translated "but" is commonly translated "because" or "for", as in the previous verse. Since the deliverance of the believer comes from the Lord, he is to rely on the Lord, not on some other way that may appear to bring deliverance. Indeed, "the salvation of the righteous is of the LORD: he is their strength in the time of trouble" (Ps 37:39). Therefore, the faithful will also glory in the Lord.
(Ps 44:8) In God we boast all the day long, and praise thy name for ever. Selah.
(Ps 34:2) My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.