Psalm 44:19 Komentář

We are not told either who was the penmen of this psalm or when and upon what occasion it was penned, upon a melancholy occasion, we are sure, not so much to the penman himself (then we could have found occasions enough for it in the history of David and his afflictions), but to the church of God in general; and therefore, if we suppose it penned by David, yet we must attribute it purely to the Spirit of prophecy, and must conclude that the Spirit (whatever he himself had) had in view the captivity of Babylon, or the sufferings of the Jewish church under Antiochus, or rather the afflicted state of the Christian church in its early days (to which Psa 44:22 is applied by the apostle, Rom 8:36), and indeed in all its days on earth, for it is its determined lot that it must enter into the kingdom of heaven through many tribulations. And, if we have any gospel-psalms pointing at the privileges and comforts of Christians, why should we not have one pointing at their trials and exercises? It is a psalm calculated for a day of fasting and humiliation upon occasion of some public calamity, either pressing or threatening. In it the church is taught, I. To own with thankfulness, to the glory of God, the great things God has done for their fathers (Psa 44:1-8). II. To exhibit a memorial of their present calamitous estate (Psa 44:9-16). III. To file a protestation of their integrity and adherence to God notwithstanding (Psa 44:17-22). IV. To lodge a petition at the throne of grace for succour and relief (Psa 44:22-26). In singing this psalm we ought to give God the praise of what he has formerly done for his people, to represent our own grievances, or sympathize with those parts of the church that are in distress, to engage ourselves, whatever happens, to cleave to God and duty, and then cheerfully to wait the event. To the chief musician for the sons of Korah, Maschil.

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 44 To the chief Musician for the sons of Korah, Maschil. It is not certain who was the writer of this psalm, nor when it was written, and to what time it belongs: some have thought it was composed by one of the Babylonish captivity, and that it gives an account of the church and people of God in those times; but what is said in Psa 44:17 does not seem to agree with Dan 9:5. It is most likely it was written by David, and to him the Targum ascribes it; though it does not respect his times; since what is said in Psa 44:9 cannot agree with them; yet he being a prophet might, under a prophetic influence, speak of future times, and represent the church in them. Some are of opinion that he prophetically speaks of the times of the Maccabees and of Antiochus, when the church and people of God suffered much for the true religion, and abode steadfast in it; so Theodoret: but rather the whole may be applied to the times of the New Testament, since Psa 44:22 is cited by the Apostle Paul, Rom 8:36, and is applied to his times, and as descriptive of the suffering state and condition of the church then; and which seems to be the guide and key for the opening of the whole psalm.

Though thou hast sore broken us in the place of dragons,.... Where men, comparable to dragons or their poison and cruelty, dwell; particularly in Rome, and the Roman jurisdiction, both Pagan and Papal, the seat of Satan the great red dragon, and of his wretched brood and offspring, the beast, to whom he has given his power; here the saints and followers of Christ have been sorely afflicted and persecuted, and yet have held fast the name of Christ, and not denied his faith; see Rev 2:13; the wilderness is the habitation of dragons; and this is the name of the place where the church is said to be in the times of the Papacy, and where she is fed and preserved for a time, and times, and half a time, Rev 12:6; and covered us with the shadow of death; as the former phrase denotes the cruelty of the enemies of Christ's church and people, this their dismal afflictions and forlorn state and condition; see Psa 23:4, Isa 9:2; and may have some respect to the darkness of Popery, when it was at the height, and the church of Christ was covered with it, there being very little appearances and breakings forth of Gospel light any where. According to Arama, the "place of dragons" denotes the captivity of Egypt, which is the great dragon; and the "shadow of death", he says, was a name of Egypt in ancient times, as say the Rabbins; and observes that Psa 44:25 explains this; see Gen 3:14.

"And the shadow of death has covered us" [Psalm 44:19]. For this mortality of ours is but the "shadow" of death. The true death is condemnation with the devil.

"Because." Above, the Psalmist set forth the evils that the saints suffer, and their constancy; here, however, he gives the reason for what has been said. And this can be connected with the preceding in two ways, according to the two senses stated, at "You have turned aside our steps," that is, the ways by which we seek the things of the flesh. And according to this it is connected thus; as if to say: you have not permitted us to turn aside to the things of the flesh, "because you have humbled us in the place of affliction," that is, of the world. Eccl. 1: "I have seen all things that are done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity." And in this God humbles the saints in two ways: namely, by the humiliation of virtue. Ps. 35: "I humbled my soul in fasting." And by the humiliation of compulsion. Ps. 105: "They humbled them in fetters," etc. As to the second he says, "And the shadow of death has covered us," that is, the sign of approaching death; for the shadow precedes, and afterward we have the sentence of death. Or, "the shadow of death," that is, sinners who are in darkness have subjected us to themselves and to their servitude. Job 28: "The torrent separates from the wandering people the stone of darkness and the shadow of death."

In a time of great national distress, probably in David's reign, the Psalmist recounts God's gracious dealings in former times, and the confidence they had learned to repose in Him. After a vivid picture of their calamities, he humbly expostulates against God's apparent forgetfulness, reminding Him of their faithfulness and mourning their heavy sorrows. (Psa. 44:1-26) This period is that of the settlement of Canaan (Jos 24:12; Jdg 6:3). have told--or, "related" (compare Exo 10:2).

sore broken--crushed. place of dragons--desolate, barren, rocky wilderness (Psa 63:10; Isa 13:22), shadow of death--(Compare Psa 23:4).