This is a Test
And it is inevitable.
For the Chief Musician. By the sons of Korah. A contemplative psalm.
Psalm 44
1 We have heard with our ears, God;
our fathers have told us what work you did in their days,
in the days of old.
2 You drove out the nations with your hand,
but you planted them.
You afflicted the peoples,
but you spread them abroad.
3 For they didn’t get the land in possession by their own sword,
neither did their own arm save them;
but your right hand, your arm, and the light of your face,
because you were favorable to them.
4 God, you are my King.
Command victories for Jacob!
5 Through you, we will push down our adversaries.
Through your name, we will tread down those who rise up against us.
6 For I will not trust in my bow,
neither will my sword save me.
7 But you have saved us from our adversaries,
and have shamed those who hate us.
8 In God we have made our boast all day long.
We will give thanks to your name forever. Selah.
9 But now you rejected us, and brought us to dishonor,
and don’t go out with our armies.
10 You make us turn back from the adversary.
Those who hate us take plunder for themselves.
11 You have made us like sheep for food,
and have scattered us among the nations.
12 You sell your people for nothing,
and have gained nothing from their sale.
13 You make us a reproach to our neighbors,
a scoffing and a derision to those who are around us.
14 You make us a byword among the nations,
a shaking of the head among the peoples.
15 All day long my dishonor is before me,
and shame covers my face,
16 at the taunt of one who reproaches and verbally abuses,
because of the enemy and the avenger.
17 All this has come on us,
yet we haven’t forgotten you.
We haven’t been false to your covenant.
18 Our heart has not turned back,
neither have our steps strayed from your path,
19 though you have crushed us in the haunt of jackals,
and covered us with the shadow of death.
20 If we have forgotten the name of our God,
or spread out our hands to a strange god,
21 won’t God search this out?
For he knows the secrets of the heart.
22 Yes, for your sake we are killed all day long.
We are regarded as sheep for the slaughter.
23 Wake up!
Why do you sleep, Lord?
Arise!
Don’t reject us forever.
24 Why do you hide your face,
and forget our affliction and our oppression?
25 For our soul is bowed down to the dust.
Our body clings to the earth.
26 Rise up to help us.
Redeem us for your loving kindness’ sake.
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The psalmist begins by giving glory to God for past victories. He gives God the credit, for he knows that Israel did not win its victories on its own. It was God’s strength and power that got it done. But then there begins a long litany of complaints about losing battles to the enemy. He insists that their hearts have not turned back, nor have they strayed from the paths of righteousness. So what went wrong here?
Job had a similar complaint. And God had even said that Job was blameless. Yet he suffered a great deal at the hand of Satan, his enemy. Job’s friends came to point to his suffering and they made the case that he had this coming to him. They insisted that he had done wrong or else these things would not have happened. Instead, it had been a test of Job’s character. Satan said that if all of God’s blessings were removed from him that he would curse God to his face. So the blessings were removed, and Job did not curse God.
There are many well-meaning teachers who tell you that if you obey God and believe in his promises that you will never fall. I believe this is meant to be an encouragement to do what is right. I completely understand that. But what people forget is that we live in a sin cursed world. Opposition, weeds, locusts, and other calamities come with the territory. And Satan is always sowing the weeds in the midst of God’s wheatfield. And he does that because he wants God to be cursed. He wants God to be blamed. But just as good as that, he wants you to blame yourself even when you are innocent. He wants you to become discouraged and quit believing in your God.
In the midst of your hardship, keep trusting in God. He sees your suffering. He is aware of your faithfulness during the hard times. This is the part of our faith that people don’t like to think of.
2 Corinthians 4:8 We are pressed on every side, yet not crushed; perplexed, yet not to despair; 9 pursued, yet not forsaken; struck down, yet not destroyed; 10 always carrying in the body the putting to death of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.
James 1:2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you fall into various temptations, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 Let endurance have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
