PSALM 44:17-22

Let us turn again to the sweet Psalmist of Israel in Psalm 44.  This is a ‘Maschil’ Psalm of instruction.  It is given to the chief Musician to be sung in public worship.  This is addressed to the sons of Korah.  This people would surely be understanding of a family with a rebellious son like Absalom.  Early in the Old Testament God sent 26,000 of their family to Hell with their clothes on because they stood against Moses’ authority.

            We look this week at verses 17-22 which I have entitled ‘What They Conclude About Later’.  It is Israel’s history about ‘Him’.   This is a time of great desperation in Israel’s history and David has been taking a walk down memory lane. 

            In these verses there are eight mentions of our Lord. In verse 17 He is mentioned as ‘Thee’ and ‘Thy’, in verse 18 He is mentioned as ‘Thy’, in verse 19 as ‘Thou’, in verse 20 as ‘God’, in verse 21 as ‘God’ and ‘He’, and in verse 22 as ‘Thy’.  The number eight is the number of new beginnings.  Let us be assured that ‘He’ is the place where all things commence, continue, and conclude.  It is truly all about ‘Him’.

            In this time of national devastation David mentions his ‘Clinging To God’s Word’.  He remembers ‘all that has come upon them’.  David as an individual, family, and nation has been through so many times of great suffering.  He had a baby die shortly after birth, one son raped his sister, one brother killed another, one son rose up to steal the kingdom from his Dad, and an army general killed Absalom.  After all this David says we have not forgotten thee. God is still being acknowledged as the only God for their nation.  He mentions their use of the covenant, which speaks of God’s revealed Word of the Old Testament.  We have not dealt falsely with the Word but are clinging to all the Word to speak to us.  Once again we find it is all about ‘Him’ and His Word.

            In verses 18-19 David reminds us of his ‘Circumspect In The Way’.  What a blessed walk it is when the heart and the life are in agreement.  This is a time when many would have turned back and walked no more with the Lord.  This nation and family have been broken in pieces, covered with the shadow of death, yet they continue walking carefully in the way. ‘Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for thou art with me.’

            In verses 20-21 we see David’s ‘Consideration Of His Inward Workings’.  It is here in these verses that David opens himself to be examined by Him who sees in secret as He does in the light.  David asks the Lord to examine the most secret places of their hearts and He will find that they have not forgotten the Lord.  Oh my friend, in our time of dark despair will it be that our secret thoughts are of ‘Him’ or all about ourselves?

            In verse 22 we find David’s ‘Confidence In His Will’.  This is certainly the cry of not one that is suffering because of disobedience but of obedience.  Trouble has not fallen as a result of sin but because of a righteous walk. 

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