PSALM 44:9-16

Psalm 44 is a Psalm of instruction addressed to the Sons of Korah, the Minister of public music.  It is apparent that it has been written by a national leader during a time of desperation.  There is much for the USA to learn from David when in desperate times.  We have looked at, “What They Heard About Them”, a study of Israel’s ‘history’.

            We turn our attention now to verses 9-16 where we find “What They Know About Now” which is a study of Israel’s ‘helplessness’.  I will not quote our text but have your Bible opened to this text as we study it together.

            In verses 9-11 we are confronted with the ‘Helplessness Of Withdrawal’.  In verse 9 He casts off the nation, puts them to shame, and leaves them to go to battle alone.

            It will be no less of a shame for the church for Him to withdraw His presence and write ‘Ichabod’ across our doors. (The glory of God has departed)  Oh how this could have already been written over some of our churches, families, and nations as a whole and we know it not.  In verse 10 we are told our enemies will bring us to humiliation and shame.  There is no humiliation or sorrow that will equal the withdrawal of God’s presence.  Verse 11 tells us that He gave the sheep as meat for the slaughter and to be scattered among the heathen.  When I think of Hitler’s destruction of the Jews by the millions during the Holocaust, I wonder what God has in store for our nation.

            We see in verse 12 the ‘Helplessness Of Wrath’.  Our God sells His people for naught and those that buy them gain nothing.  Oh how it must sadden our Lord to see His people sold and engulfed in this world of vanity.

            In verses 13-14 we see the ‘Helplessness Of Will’.  These verses begin with the awaking phrase “Thou makest…” and verse 12 says ‘Thou sellest…” God is the one who has ordained His people to be a reproach, shame and a by word for the world to shake their head in disgust at us.  “All this is scribed to the Lord as being allowed by Him and even by His decree.  It is well to trace the hand of God in our sorrows for it us surely there.” (Spurgeon)  Let me remind us, God has no permissive will versus perfect will.  He has no plan ‘B’.  He has but one counsel of His will and worketh all things accordingly.  I don’t know about you but I like it that way. 

            In verses 15-16 we find the ‘Helplessness Of Witness’.  God’s withdrawal has a witness of ‘confusion’ and ‘shame’ in verse 15.  The word ‘confusion’ means a wound of disgrace and reproach.  The word ‘shame’ means to blush or hide the face.  I tell you that when God withdraws from an individual, family, couple, church, or nation there will be a witness from the God of heaven from which we will find no pleasure.

            In verse 16 there is a ‘Witness Of Humiliation’.  God has brought them to a place of being mocked and made fun of by those who in times past had held them in the highest regard.  Let this be a warning to us who may look over sin in our lives, God has a way of pulling the covers off and revealing for all to see what we really are.  This sure seems like a helpless state.  It is helpless but it is by no means hopeless for the Lord who brought all this evil upon them could just as easily lift them from it if they but only turn and look alone to our God.

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