Psa 44:23-26 | KingComments | STEP | They do not believe that God sleeps (cf. ; ). They express themselves in this way because sleep is a human representation of the absence of any activity. They perceive that God is keeping Himself dormant because He does not act and intervene on their behalf ( ). They cry out here to the “Lord”, Adonai, the sovereign Ruler. The remnant is afraid that He will “reject” them “forever”, that is, for all eternity. The disciples of the Lord Jesus have a similar experience to the sons of Korah. When a storm overtakes them in the ship with the Lord, Who is both Man and God, they wake Him up, for He is asleep. They awaken Him asking if He does not care that they perish ( ). God hides Himself from the believing remnant ( ). Because their affliction and tribulation last so long, it seems as if He forgets them. It seems as if the antichrist and the ungodly mass can have their way and kill them at their will (cf. ; ). But God cannot forget them. They are “inscribed … on the palms” of His hands ( ) and are written “in a book of remembrance” before Him ( ). They are in the melting pot of purification, where He heats the fire just as hot as it takes to make them a pure silver ( ). They feel like the dead, which they indicate by saying that their souls have sunk down into the dust ( ; cf. ). Their body cleaves to the earth, they say. By this they compare themselves to reptiles who cannot lift themselves up. It indicates the great humiliation and tribulation they suffer. God is the help of His people ( ). Therefore, they call upon Him to rise up and to be their help ( ). He is their help in trouble ( ) and in this they find themselves. He is the Only One Who can help. There is no one else. They appeal to His “lovingkindness” to deliver them and not to any righteousness or faithfulness on their part or their suffering for Him. How God answers their prayer is the subject of the next four psalms (Psalms 45-48).

‏ Psalms 44:23-26

Cry for Help

They do not believe that God sleeps (cf. Psa 121:4; 1Kgs 18:27b). They express themselves in this way because sleep is a human representation of the absence of any activity. They perceive that God is keeping Himself dormant because He does not act and intervene on their behalf (Psa 44:23). They cry out here to the “Lord”, Adonai, the sovereign Ruler. The remnant is afraid that He will “reject” them “forever”, that is, for all eternity.

The disciples of the Lord Jesus have a similar experience to the sons of Korah. When a storm overtakes them in the ship with the Lord, Who is both Man and God, they wake Him up, for He is asleep. They awaken Him asking if He does not care that they perish (Mk 4:35-41).

God hides Himself from the believing remnant (Psa 44:24). Because their affliction and tribulation last so long, it seems as if He forgets them. It seems as if the antichrist and the ungodly mass can have their way and kill them at their will (cf. Dan 7:25; Rev 13:7). But God cannot forget them. They are “inscribed … on the palms” of His hands (Isa 49:16) and are written “in a book of remembrance” before Him (Mal 3:16). They are in the melting pot of purification, where He heats the fire just as hot as it takes to make them a pure silver (Mal 3:2-3).

They feel like the dead, which they indicate by saying that their souls have sunk down into the dust (Psa 44:25; cf. Psa 22:15). Their body cleaves to the earth, they say. By this they compare themselves to reptiles who cannot lift themselves up. It indicates the great humiliation and tribulation they suffer.

God is the help of His people (Hos 13:9). Therefore, they call upon Him to rise up and to be their help (Psa 44:26). He is their help in trouble (Psa 46:1) and in this they find themselves. He is the Only One Who can help. There is no one else. They appeal to His “lovingkindness” to deliver them and not to any righteousness or faithfulness on their part or their suffering for Him. How God answers their prayer is the subject of the next four psalms (Psalms 45-48).