Psalms 44:19

KJV

Though thou hast sore broken us in the place of dragons, and covered us with the shadow of death.

KJV (with Strong's)

Though thou hast sore broken {H1794}{H8765)} us in the place {H4725} of dragons {H8577}, and covered {H3680}{H8762)} us with the shadow of death {H6757}.

Complete Jewish Bible

though you pressed us into a lair of jackals and covered us with death-dark gloom.

Berean Standard Bible

But You have crushed us in the lair of jackals; You have covered us with deepest darkness.

American Standard Version

That thou hast sore broken us in the place of jackals, And covered us with the shadow of death.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Psalms 44:19 encapsulates a profound cry of distress from a community that feels utterly devastated and abandoned by God, despite their perceived faithfulness. The verse vividly portrays their experience of being "sore broken" in a perilous, desolate land, enveloped by the imminent threat of death, serving as a poignant expression of lament and bewildered suffering within the broader psalm.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Psalms 44 is a communal lament, one of the most intense expressions of national suffering in the Psalter. The psalm begins by recalling God's glorious acts of deliverance in Israel's past, emphasizing how God, not their own strength, secured their inheritance and victory ([Psalms 44:1-8](/psalms/44-1 "Psalms 44:1-8 - God's Past Deliverance")). However, this triumphant memory is starkly contrasted with their present, bewildering reality. The community describes experiencing severe military defeat, humiliation, and even a sense of being sold into slavery ([Psalms 44:9-16](/psalms/44-9 "Psalms 44:9-16 - Present Humiliation and Defeat")). Crucially, they assert their innocence and continued covenant faithfulness, denying any apostasy or turning away from God ([Psalms 44:17-18](/psalms/44-17 "Psalms 44:17-18 - Assertion of Innocence")). Verse 19, therefore, marks the climax of their desperate plea, articulating the depth of their physical and existential peril, setting the stage for the final, urgent cry for divine intervention in the psalm's closing verses.

* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The precise historical setting for Psalm 44 is debated among scholars, but it clearly reflects a period of national catastrophe for Israel. Suggestions range from the Babylonian Exile, the post-exilic period under Persian or Hellenistic rule, or even the Maccabean era, where the people faced severe persecution and military defeat despite their devotion. Culturally, the "place of dragons" (Hebrew: *tannim*) evokes imagery of desolate wildernesses, often associated with chaos, danger, and the dwelling places of wild, predatory animals or even demonic forces. This imagery would have resonated deeply with an ancient Near Eastern audience, signifying a place utterly devoid of divine protection and teeming with hostile threats. Being "covered with the shadow of death" (Hebrew: *tsalmavet*) speaks to a pervasive sense of mortal peril and despair, a state where life itself is threatened, and hope seems extinguished. This communal lament reflects the deep covenantal relationship Israel had with God, where national well-being was understood as a sign of divine favor, and suffering, therefore, raised profound theological questions about God's justice and faithfulness.

* **Key Themes:** This verse contributes significantly to several key themes within Psalm 44 and the broader biblical narrative. The primary theme is **Lament and Honest Suffering**, demonstrating that it is permissible, even necessary, for God's people to articulate their deepest pain and confusion to Him, even when He seems absent or hostile. It highlights the theme of **Perceived Divine Abandonment**, a tension where the faithful feel forsaken despite their loyalty, challenging the simplistic notion that suffering is always a direct result of sin. The imagery of "sore broken" and "shadow of death" underscores the theme of **Profound National and Communal Distress**, reflecting not just individual pain but the collective agony of a people facing existential threat. Furthermore, the verse, by contrasting with the earlier remembrance of God's past victories, reinforces the theme of **God's Sovereignty and Unfathomable Ways**, forcing the community to grapple with how a powerful, covenant-keeping God could allow such devastation. This tension ultimately drives the psalm's desperate plea for God to "Awake!" and intervene ([Psalms 44:23](/psalms/44-23 "Psalms 44:23 - A Cry for God to Awaken")).

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Broken (Hebrew, _shavar'_):** The verb *shavar* is intense, meaning to break, shatter, or crush. When applied to a people, it signifies utter defeat, destruction, and fragmentation, not merely a minor setback. It conveys a sense of being completely undone, both physically and psychologically, implying a loss of national integrity, strength, and hope. The "sore broken" emphasizes the severity and depth of this devastation.
* **Dragons (Hebrew, _tannim'_):** This term (*tannim*) is plural and can refer to jackals, serpents, or large sea creatures/monsters (like Leviathan). In this context, it most likely symbolizes desolate, dangerous, and wild places, often associated with the wilderness or ruins where wild beasts roam. Figuratively, it represents fierce, destructive forces, hostile nations, or even chaotic, demonic powers that threaten God's people. It signifies a place of extreme peril and desolation, far from the safety and order of God's presence.
* **Shadow of death (Hebrew, _tsalmavet'_):** This is a poetic compound word, *tsalmavet*, meaning "deep darkness," "gloom," or "mortal peril." It is not merely a shadow cast by death but a darkness so profound that it is akin to death itself, or the very realm of death. It conveys a sense of being enveloped by overwhelming danger, despair, and the imminent threat of extinction, a place where light and hope are absent.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Though thou hast sore broken us":** This clause expresses the community's direct accusation and lament to God. The "though" indicates a concession or a bewildering reality: despite their faithfulness (as asserted in the preceding verses), God has allowed them to be utterly shattered. The active voice "thou hast... broken us" attributes their suffering directly to divine action or permission, highlighting their profound sense of abandonment and the theological crisis it creates. It speaks to a complete national collapse, a shattering of their identity and security.
* **"in the place of dragons":** This phrase vividly describes the perilous environment in which they find themselves. It is a place of desolation and danger, where hostile, destructive forces (symbolized by "dragons" or jackals) hold sway. This is not a place of safety or blessing but one of extreme vulnerability and exposure to their enemies, implying that God has cast them into such a hostile environment.
* **"and covered us with the shadow of death":** This final clause intensifies the imagery of peril and despair. To be "covered" suggests an enveloping, suffocating experience, where the pervasive presence of death's gloom leaves no escape. It signifies a state of profound hopelessness, where life hangs by a thread, and the community feels overwhelmed by circumstances that are akin to death itself.

#### Literary Devices
Psalms 44:19 employs powerful **Imagery** to convey the depth of the community's suffering. The phrases "sore broken us," "place of dragons," and "shadow of death" create vivid mental pictures of devastation, peril, and despair. The use of **Metaphor** is central, with "dragons" serving as a metaphor for hostile, destructive forces or desolate, dangerous territories, and "shadow of death" as a metaphor for overwhelming mortal peril and despair. The psalmist also utilizes **Hyperbole** to emphasize the extreme nature of their suffering, suggesting a level of breaking and covering by death's shadow that is almost beyond literal description, underscoring the emotional intensity of their lament. The direct address "thou hast" also demonstrates **Apostrophe**, as the psalmist speaks directly to God, expressing their raw pain and perceived divine agency in their suffering.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalms 44:19 stands as a stark theological challenge, probing the depths of the problem of suffering, particularly when it afflicts the righteous. It forces a confrontation with the tension between God's covenant faithfulness and the bewildering reality of His people's devastation. The verse validates the experience of profound lament, demonstrating that faith does not preclude honest cries of pain, confusion, and even accusation towards God when His actions or perceived inaction seem contrary to His character. It underscores the biblical truth that suffering is a complex phenomenon, not always a direct consequence of sin, and that God's ways are often inscrutable, leading His people through "places of dragons" and "shadows of death" for purposes beyond immediate human comprehension. Ultimately, it serves as a testament to the enduring, though strained, relationship between God and His people, even in the darkest valleys.

* [Job 3:5](/job/3-5 "Job 3:5 - Longing for Darkness and Shadow of Death")
* [Psalms 23:4](/psalms/23-4 "Psalms 23:4 - The Valley of the Shadow of Death")
* [Isaiah 34:13](/isaiah/34-13 "Isaiah 34:13 - Desolation and Wild Beasts in Edom")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Psalms 44:19 offers profound validation for those experiencing deep, inexplicable suffering, whether personal or communal. It reminds us that even the most faithful can find themselves "sore broken" in "places of dragons"—metaphorical hostile environments, severe illnesses, overwhelming grief, or periods of profound spiritual darkness. This verse grants us permission to lament honestly before God, to articulate our pain and confusion, even when we feel abandoned or when God's actions seem contrary to His promises. It is a model for raw, unvarnished prayer, acknowledging the harsh realities of a fallen world while still clinging, however tenuously, to the hope of divine intervention. It encourages us not to suppress our pain but to bring it directly to the One who ultimately holds all power, trusting that even in the "shadow of death," His presence, though unseen, remains. This psalm, and particularly this verse, teaches us that faith is not the absence of doubt or suffering, but the courage to voice our deepest anguish to God, believing He hears and will ultimately respond.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what "place of dragons" or "shadow of death" do you currently find yourself, either personally or communally?**
* **How does this verse validate your own experiences of suffering or feeling "sore broken" even when you believe you are walking faithfully?**
* **What does it mean to honestly lament before God, even expressing feelings of abandonment or confusion, as the psalmist does here?**
* **How can remembering God's past faithfulness (as in Psalms 44:1-8) sustain you when you are in a "shadow of death" experience?**

### FAQ
**What does "the place of dragons" literally and symbolically mean in this context?**

Answer: Literally, "dragons" (Hebrew: *tannim*) can refer to jackals, wild dogs, or large serpents, creatures associated with desolate, ruined, or wilderness areas. These places were considered dangerous and uninhabitable by humans. Symbolically, "the place of dragons" represents a territory of extreme danger, desolation, and hostility. It signifies a place where God's protective presence seems absent, and destructive forces, whether natural, human (like enemy nations), or even spiritual, hold sway. It is a metaphor for a situation or environment that is utterly perilous and threatening to life and well-being, where the community feels exposed and vulnerable to overwhelming evil.

**Is it acceptable for believers to question God or express such deep despair, as seen in Psalms 44:19?**

Answer: Yes, the Psalms, including Psalms 44, provide a biblical precedent for expressing raw, honest lament and even questioning God in times of deep suffering. This verse, and indeed the entire psalm, demonstrates that faith does not require suppressing pain, doubt, or confusion. Instead, it invites believers to bring their full emotional reality, including despair and perceived abandonment, directly to God. This open communication is a sign of a trusting relationship, where the psalmist believes God is capable of handling their accusations and will ultimately respond. It teaches that authentic faith includes the freedom to wrestle with God in the midst of suffering, rather than pretending everything is fine.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalms 44:19, with its cry of being "sore broken in the place of dragons, and covered with the shadow of death," finds its ultimate fulfillment and deepest resonance in the person and work of Jesus Christ. While the psalmist laments a national catastrophe, Christ Himself entered the ultimate "place of dragons"—a world dominated by sin, death, and the powers of darkness ([Colossians 1:13](/colossians/1-13 "Colossians 1:13 - Delivered from the Domain of Darkness")). He was "sore broken" not for His own sin, but for ours, enduring the crushing weight of divine judgment and the physical agony of the cross ([Isaiah 53:5](/isaiah/53-5 "Isaiah 53:5 - Wounded for Our Transgressions")). His cry on the cross, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" ([Matthew 27:46](/matthew/27-46 "Matthew 27:46 - Jesus' Cry of Dereliction")), echoes the psalmist's sense of divine abandonment, yet it was a necessary descent into the "shadow of death" to conquer it from within. Jesus, the Lamb of God, willingly allowed Himself to be covered by the very darkness of death, only to emerge victorious, shattering its power and delivering all who believe from its dominion ([Hebrews 2:14-15](/hebrews/2-14 "Hebrews 2:14-15 - Christ's Victory Over Death")). Thus, the lament of Psalms 44:19, though a cry of despair, foreshadows the suffering of the Messiah who would ultimately transform the "place of dragons" into a realm of redemption and the "shadow of death" into the dawn of eternal life.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Job 3:5

Let darkness and the shadow of death stain it; let a cloud dwell upon it; let the blackness of the day terrify it.

Psalms 23:4

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou [art] with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Psalms 51:8

Make me to hear joy and gladness; [that] the bones [which] thou hast broken may rejoice.

Jeremiah 14:17

¶ Therefore thou shalt say this word unto them; Let mine eyes run down with tears night and day, and let them not cease: for the virgin daughter of my people is broken with a great breach, with a very grievous blow.

Isaiah 35:7

And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation of dragons, where each lay, [shall be] grass with reeds and rushes.

Revelation 16:10

And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain,

Revelation 12:9

And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.