Read & explore together
Redeem Us, O God
Psalm 44 is a communal lament that remembers God’s earlier victories, contrasts them with present disgrace, and pleads for rescue. It shows God’s people speaking to him with both trust and distress.
Understanding the passage
Read these words in context
This song begins with what earlier generations reported about God’s work, especially that his people did not gain victory by their own strength. It then turns to present defeat, scattering, mockery and oppression, before insisting on continued loyalty to God and asking him to rise up and redeem.
Psalms 44:1–26Main takeaway
Psalm 44 teaches that God’s people may remember his past help, confess their dependence on him, and bring honest grief and urgent prayer to him in severe trouble.
Explore the poem and its images
Open a card to explore the full explanation and its Bible references.
01Past victories came from GodThe psalm opens by recalling what the fathers had told about God’s work in earlier days. God drove out nations and planted his people.
Explanation
The psalm opens by recalling what the fathers had told about God’s work in earlier days. God drove out nations and planted his people. The land was not gained by their own sword or arm, but by God’s right hand, arm and favour. The memory is of God acting powerfully for them.
02Confidence belongs to God the KingBecause of that memory, the singer addresses God as King and asks him to command victories for Jacob.
Explanation
Because of that memory, the singer addresses God as King and asks him to command victories for Jacob. The people expect to overcome adversaries through God and through his name, not through bow or sword. Their fitting response is to boast in God and give thanks to his name.
03Now the people are disgracedThe song then turns with ‘But now’. God is addressed as the one who has rejected them, made them retreat, and allowed plunder and scattering.
Explanation
The song then turns with ‘But now’. God is addressed as the one who has rejected them, made them retreat, and allowed plunder and scattering. The shame is deep: they are ‘sold’ for nothing, made a reproach and a byword among nations, with constant dishonour, taunts and abuse before them.
04Faithfulness, suffering and urgent appealThe people say they have not forgotten God or strayed from his path. If they had turned to another god, God would know the secrets of the heart.
Explanation
The people say they have not forgotten God or strayed from his path. If they had turned to another god, God would know the secrets of the heart. Yet they describe being crushed, covered with the shadow of death, killed all day long, and bowed down to the dust. From that depth they cry, ‘Rise up’ and ‘Redeem us’.
Questions to explore
Pause, look back at the verses and talk together.
01How does the psalm explain that earlier victories were God’s work rather than human achievement?
Notice the contrast between not gaining the land by sword or arm and receiving it through God’s hand, arm and favour.
02Which images show how public and painful the people’s present disgrace has become?
Look for words about being sold for nothing, becoming a byword, and living with constant dishonour and abuse.
03How does the psalm move from claimed faithfulness to its final request for redemption?
Trace the claim that they have not forgotten God, the description of being crushed and bowed to the dust, and then the appeal for God to rise up and help.
Read the Bible passage
World English Bible ClassicScripture quotation · Public domain
Psalms 44:1–26
1We have heard with our ears, God; our fathers have told us what work you did in their days, in the days of old.
2You drove out the nations with your hand, but you planted them. You afflicted the peoples, but you spread them abroad.
3For 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.
4God, you are my King. Command victories for Jacob!
5Through you, we will push down our adversaries. Through your name, we will tread down those who rise up against us.
6For I will not trust in my bow, neither will my sword save me.
7But you have saved us from our adversaries, and have shamed those who hate us.
8In God we have made our boast all day long. We will give thanks to your name forever. Selah.
9But now you rejected us, and brought us to dishonor, and don’t go out with our armies.
10You make us turn back from the adversary. Those who hate us take plunder for themselves.
11You have made us like sheep for food, and have scattered us among the nations.
12You sell your people for nothing, and have gained nothing from their sale.
13You make us a reproach to our neighbors, a scoffing and a derision to those who are around us.
14You make us a byword among the nations, a shaking of the head among the peoples.
15All day long my dishonor is before me, and shame covers my face,
16at the taunt of one who reproaches and verbally abuses, because of the enemy and the avenger.
17All this has come on us, yet we haven’t forgotten you. We haven’t been false to your covenant.
18Our heart has not turned back, neither have our steps strayed from your path,
19though you have crushed us in the haunt of jackals, and covered us with the shadow of death.
20If we have forgotten the name of our God, or spread out our hands to a strange god,
21won’t God search this out? For he knows the secrets of the heart.
22Yes, for your sake we are killed all day long. We are regarded as sheep for the slaughter.
23Wake up! Why do you sleep, Lord? Arise! Don’t reject us forever.
24Why do you hide your face, and forget our affliction and our oppression?
25For our soul is bowed down to the dust. Our body clings to the earth.
26Rise up to help us. Redeem us for your loving kindness’ sake.