TRV
Study This Verse
Commentary on Psalms 44 verses 17–26
The people of God, being greatly afflicted and oppressed, here apply to him; whither else should they go?
I. By way of appeal, concerning their integrity, which he only is an infallible judge of, and which he will certainly be the rewarder of. Two things they call God to witness to: -
1.That, though they suffered these hard things, yet they kept close to God and to their duty (Psa 44:17): "All this has come upon us, and it is as bad perhaps as bad can be, yet have we not forgotten thee, neither cast off the thoughts of thee nor deserted the worship of thee; for, though we cannot deny but that we have dealt foolishly, yet we have not dealt falsely in thy covenant, so as to cast thee off and take to other gods. Though idolaters were our conquerors, we did not therefore entertain any more favourable thoughts of their idols and idolatries; though thou hast seemed to forsake us and withdraw from us, yet we have not therefore forsaken thee." The trouble they had been long in was very great: "We have been sorely broken in the place of dragons, among men as fierce, and furious, and cruel, as dragons. We have been covered with the shadow of death, that is, we have been under deep melancholy and apprehensive of nothing short of death. We have been wrapped up in obscurity, and buried alive; and thou hast thus broken us, thou hast thus covered us (Psa 44:19), yet we have not harboured any hard thoughts of thee, nor meditated a retreat from thy service. Though thou hast slain us, we have continued to trust in thee: Our heart has not turned back; we have not secretly withdrawn our affections from thee, neither have our steps, either in our religious worship or in our conversation, declined from they way (Psa 44:18), the way which thou hast appointed us to walk in." When the heart turns back the steps will soon decline; for it is the evil heart of unbelief that inclines to depart from God. Note, We may the better bear our troubles, how pressing soever, if in them we still hold fast our integrity. While our troubles do not drive us from our duty to God we should not suffer them to drive us from our comfort in God; for he will not leave us if we do not leave him. For the proof of their integrity they take God's omniscience to witness, which is as much the comfort of the upright in heart as it is the terror of hypocrites (Psa 44:20, Psa 44:21): "If we have forgotten the name of our God, under pretence that he had forgotten us, or in our distress have stretched out our hands to a strange god, as more likely to help us, shall not God search this out? Shall he not know it more fully and distinctly than we know that which we have with the greatest care and diligence searched out? Shall he not judge it, and call us to an account for it?" Forgetting God was a heart-sin, and stretching our the hand to a strange god was often a secret sin, Eze 8:12. But heart-sins and secret sins are known to God, and must be reckoned for; for he knows the secrets of the heart, and therefore is a infallible judge of the words and actions.
2.That they suffered these hard things because they kept close to God and to their duty (Psa 44:22): "It is for thy sake that we are killed all the day long, because we stand related to thee, are called by thy name, call upon thy name, and will not worship other gods." In this the Spirit of prophecy had reference to those who suffered even unto death for the testimony of Christ, to whom it is applied, Rom 8:36. So many were killed, and put to such lingering deaths, that they were in the killing all the day long; so universally was this practised that when a man became a Christian he reckoned himself as a sheep appointed for the slaughter.
II. By way of petition, with reference to their present distress, that God would, in his own due time, work deliverance for them. 1. Their request is very importunate: Awake, arise, Psa 44:23. Arise for our help; redeem us (Psa 44:26); come speedily and powerfully to our relief, Psa 80:2. Stir up thy strength, and come and save us. They had complained (Psa 44:12) that God had sold them; here they pray (Psa 44:26) that God would redeem them; for there is no appealing from God, but by appealing to him. If he sell us, it is not any one else that can redeem us; the same hand that tears must heal, that smites must bind up, Hos 6:1. They had complained (Psa 44:9), Thou hast cast us off; but here they pray (Psa 44:23), "Cast us not off forever; let us not be finally forsaken of God." 2. The expostulations are very moving: Why sleepest thou? Psa 44:23. He that keeps Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps; but, when he does not immediately appear for the deliverance of his people, they are tempted to think he sleeps. The expression is figurative (as Psa 78:65, Then the Lord awaked as one out of sleep); but it was applicable to Christ in the letter (Mat 8:24); he was asleep when his disciples were in a storm, and they awoke him, saying, Lord, save us, we perish. "Wherefore hidest thou thy face, that we may not see thee and the light of thy countenance?" Or, "that thou mayest not see us and our distresses? Thou forgettest our affliction and our oppression, for it still continues, and we see no way open for our deliverance." And, 3. The pleas are very proper, not their own merit and righteousness, though they had the testimony of their consciences concerning their integrity, but they plead the poor sinner's pleas. (1.) Their own misery, which made them the proper objects of the divine compassion (Psa 44:25): "Our soul is bowed down to the dust under prevailing grief and fear. We have become as creeping things, the most despicable animals: Our belly cleaves unto the earth; we cannot lift up ourselves, neither revive our own drooping spirits nor recover ourselves out of our low and sad condition, and we lie exposed to be trodden on by every insulting foe." 2. God's mercy: "O redeem us for they mercies' sake; we depend upon the goodness of thy nature, which is the glory of thy name (Exo 34:6), and upon those sure mercies of David which are conveyed by the covenant to all his spiritual seed."
"Awake; why sleepest Thou, O Lord?" [Psalm 44:23]. Who is addressed, and who is the speaker? Would not he be more correctly said to sleep and slumber, who speaks such words as these? He replies to you, I know what I am saying: I know that "He that keeps Israel does not sleep:" but yet the Martyrs cry, "Awake; why sleepest Thou, O Lord?" O Lord Jesus, You were slain; Thou "slept" in Your Passion; to us You have now "awaked" from sleep. For "we" know that You have now "awaked" again. To what purpose have You awaked and risen again? The Gentiles that persecute us, think You to be dead; do not believe You to have risen again. "Arise Thou" then to them also! "Why sleepest Thou," though not to us, yet to them? For if they already believed You to have risen again, could they persecute us who believe in You? But why do they persecute? "Destroy, slay so and so, whoever have believed in You, such an one, who died an ill death!" As yet to them "Thou sleepest;" arise to them, that they may perceive that You have "awaked" again; and may be at rest. Lastly, it has come to pass, while the Martyrs die, and say these things; while they sleep, and "awaken" Christ, truly dead in their sleepings, Christ has, in a certain sense, risen again in the Gentiles; i.e. it becomes believed, that He has risen again; so by degrees they themselves, becoming converted to Christ by believing, collected a numerous body: such as the persecutors dreaded; and the persecutions have come to an end. Why? Because Christ, who before was asleep to them, as not believing, has risen in the Gentiles. "Arise, and cast us not off for ever!"
Continue studying Psalms 44:23 across the web’s major study libraries — every link below opens this exact verse, chapter, or book on the destination site.
Read & Compare
BibleGatewayThis verse in more than 200 translations and 70 languages.
Bible.comThe YouVersion reader — hundreds of translations, reading plans, and highlights.
ESV.orgCrossway's official English Standard Version reader.
NET BibleThe NET translation with 60,000+ translators' notes on every rendering decision.
STEP BibleTyndale House's free study tool — original text, vocabulary, and scholarly resources.
BibliaLogos Bible Software's free web reader.
USCCBThe New American Bible (Revised Edition) with the U.S. bishops' study notes.
Commentaries
BibleHub CommentariesDozens of classic commentaries on this verse, gathered on one page.
StudyLightMore than 100 commentary sets — the largest collection on the web.
BibleRefPlain-English commentary on what this verse means, verse by verse.
Enduring WordDavid Guzik's free commentary on this chapter, widely used by Bible teachers.
Bible Study ToolsVerse commentary alongside Greek and Hebrew study aids.
Original Language & Research
- BibleHub InterlinearThe verse word by word — original language, transliteration, and English.
- BibleHub LexiconEvery word's original-language definition and Strong's entry.
Blue Letter BibleDeep-study tools — Strong's numbers, concordance, and word studies.
SefariaThe Hebrew text with Rashi and centuries of Jewish commentary.
Sermons, Hymns & Audio
TrulyRandomVerse is not affiliated with these sites and doesn’t control their content. They’re linked because they’re genuinely useful.
SUMMARY
Psalms 44:23 is a profound and urgent lament from a covenant people grappling with profound national suffering and humiliation, despite their unwavering faithfulness. It articulates the deep human anguish of feeling abandoned by God in a time of severe adversity, challenging His apparent inaction with bold, anthropomorphic language. This verse encapsulates the theological tension between God's historical faithfulness and the painful reality of present distress, culminating in a desperate appeal for His immediate and decisive intervention to prevent a perceived permanent rejection.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Psalms 44:23 employs several potent literary devices to convey its profound emotional and theological message. The most prominent is Anthropomorphism, where human characteristics are attributed to God. The psalmist asks, "why sleepest thou, O Lord?" and commands Him to "Awake" and "arise," portraying God as if He were a human being who can literally sleep and be roused from slumber. This is not intended as a literal theological statement about God's nature, but rather a vivid and relatable expression of the human perception of divine inaction or silence during a crisis. This anthropomorphic language makes the divine seem more accessible, allowing the psalmist to express raw frustration and desperate yearning. The phrase "why sleepest thou?" also functions as a Rhetorical Question, a question posed not to elicit an answer but to emphasize the speaker's intense emotional state—in this case, bewilderment, anguish, and a profound sense of injustice. It highlights the inexplicable nature of their suffering given their asserted faithfulness. The entire verse is framed in the Imperative Mood ("Awake," "arise," "cast [us] not off"), which underscores the urgency and directness of the plea. This direct address to God, demanding action, is characteristic of Lament literature, where the worshiper pours out their heart to God, expressing pain, confusion, and a desperate longing for divine intervention. The psalmist's bold language reflects a deep, intimate, and trusting relationship with God, even in the midst of profound questioning.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalms 44:23 resonates deeply with the broader biblical narrative of God's covenant faithfulness amidst human suffering and perceived divine silence. It highlights the inherent tension in a relationship with a sovereign God who permits His faithful people to endure profound hardship. The psalmists' bold questioning validates the human experience of wrestling with God's mysterious ways, affirming that honest lament is a legitimate and even necessary form of prayer within the covenant. Despite the raw emotion and apparent accusation, the very act of crying out to God, rather than abandoning Him, demonstrates an underlying faith in His ultimate power and goodness. The plea for God not to "cast [us] off for ever" underscores the enduring hope in God's covenant promises, even when immediate circumstances seem to contradict them. This verse serves as a powerful reminder that God's presence and faithfulness are not always discernible by human perception or immediate intervention, yet His character remains unchanged. It invites believers to bring their deepest fears and frustrations to God, trusting that He is big enough to handle their questions and will ultimately fulfill His promises.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Psalms 44:23 offers profound spiritual nourishment for believers navigating seasons of hardship and perceived divine silence. It grants permission to bring our raw, honest, and even confrontational questions before God. In moments when our prayers seem to go unanswered, or when suffering persists despite our faithfulness, this verse validates the human experience of feeling abandoned or confused. It teaches us that faith is not the absence of doubt or questioning, but rather the courageous act of bringing those doubts and questions directly to the One who holds all answers. The psalmist's persistent cry, even in the face of despair, encourages us to maintain a posture of prayer and dependence, believing that God ultimately hears and cares, even if His timing and methods are beyond our comprehension. This passage reminds us that our feelings, while valid, do not define God's unchanging character, which promises His unwavering presence and love. It calls us to trust in His sovereignty and faithfulness, even when the path ahead is shrouded in mystery and pain, holding fast to the hope that He will never truly cast us off, for His covenant love enduring forever.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Does this verse imply God actually sleeps or is literally unaware?
Answer: No, this verse does not imply that God literally sleeps or is unaware. The language used in Psalms 44:23 is an example of anthropomorphism, attributing human characteristics to God to express a profound human experience. The psalmist is using vivid, metaphorical language to convey the feeling of God's apparent inaction, silence, or delay in intervention during a time of intense suffering. It reflects the human perception of God's distance, not a literal theological statement about His nature. Other scriptures, such as Psalm 121:4, explicitly state that God "will neither slumber nor sleep," affirming His constant watchfulness and attentiveness to His people. The question "why sleepest thou?" is a rhetorical cry of anguish and bewilderment, born from a desperate longing for God to act, not a literal accusation.
Is it acceptable for believers to question God or express frustration with Him, as the psalmist does here?
Answer: Yes, Psalms 44:23 and many other psalms of lament (e.g., Psalm 13, Psalm 88) demonstrate that it is not only acceptable but often a vital part of a genuine faith relationship to express raw, honest questions, frustrations, and even complaints to God. The Bible models a faith that is not afraid to wrestle with God's mysterious ways in the face of suffering. These laments are not expressions of unbelief but rather profound acts of faith, as they are directed to God, acknowledging His sovereignty and power even while questioning His apparent inaction. They reflect a deep trust that God is big enough to handle our doubts and authentic emotions, and that He desires our genuine communication, even when it is messy or painful.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalms 44:23, with its desperate cry to a seemingly silent God in the midst of unmerited suffering, finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The psalmist's lament for a people "killed all the day long" and "counted as sheep for the slaughter" (Psalms 44:22) powerfully foreshadows the ultimate innocent Lamb of God, who truly was led "as a sheep to the slaughter" (Isaiah 53:7) for the sins of humanity. On the cross, Jesus himself cried out, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:46), echoing the very sentiment of perceived abandonment found in Psalm 44. This moment of ultimate dereliction demonstrates that Christ, our High Priest, fully identifies with our human experience of suffering and feeling forsaken, having himself endured the deepest form of divine silence and rejection on our behalf (Hebrews 4:15). Yet, His cry was not the end; it was followed by resurrection and ascension, proving that God does not "cast off for ever." Through Christ, the perceived silence of God is broken, and the ultimate intervention is accomplished. Believers now have a living High Priest who ever lives to intercede for them (Hebrews 7:25), ensuring that God will never truly abandon His people, for we are eternally united with the One who overcame the ultimate "sleep" of death and secured our everlasting hope.