Psalms 44:2

[How] thou didst drive out the heathen with thy hand, and plantedst them; [how] thou didst afflict the people, and cast them out.

How thou didst drive out {H3423}{H8689)} the heathen {H1471} with thy hand {H3027}, and plantedst {H5193}{H8799)} them; how thou didst afflict {H7489}{H8686)} the people {H3816}, and cast them out {H7971}{H8762)}.

With your hand you drove out nations to plant them in [the land], you crushed peoples to make room for them.

With Your hand You drove out the nations and planted our fathers there; You crushed the peoples and cast them out.

Thou didst drive out the nations with thy hand; But them thou didst plant: Thou didst afflict the peoples; But them thou didst spread abroad.

Commentary

Psalm 44:2 is part of a communal lament, where the people of Israel recall God's mighty acts in their past to strengthen their faith and appeal for His intervention in their present distress. This verse specifically highlights God's direct involvement in establishing Israel in the land of Canaan.

Context

This verse serves as a historical preamble within Psalm 44. The psalmists are recounting the stories passed down from their fathers, emphasizing that Israel's possession of the land was not by their own might, but entirely by God's powerful intervention. The "heathen" refers to the various Canaanite nations that inhabited the land before Israel's arrival. The phrase "drive out the heathen" and "plantedst them" vividly describes the miraculous conquest of Canaan and God's sovereign act of settling His chosen people, Israel, in their promised inheritance. This historical memory is crucial for the psalm's later appeal for deliverance.

Key Themes

  • Divine Sovereignty and Power: The verse powerfully asserts that it was God's "hand" that accomplished the expulsion of the previous inhabitants and the establishment of Israel. This underscores God's absolute control over nations and history.
  • Covenant Faithfulness: By establishing Israel in the land, God was fulfilling His ancient promises, particularly the Abrahamic Covenant. It was not Israel's merit, but God's faithfulness to His word.
  • God as the Planter: The metaphor of "plantedst them" signifies God's deliberate, careful, and nurturing act in bringing Israel into the land and allowing them to take root and flourish. This imagery conveys a sense of divine ownership and care.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word for "heathen" is goyim (גּוֹיִם), which refers to nations or peoples, often used in the Old Testament to distinguish non-Israelite nations. The phrase "drive out" (gerashta, גֵּרַשְׁתָּ) implies a forceful expulsion, while "plantedst them" (vatitta'em, וַתִּטָּעֵם) uses a horticultural metaphor to describe God's act of settling Israel firmly in the land, much like a gardener plants a tree. The phrase "afflict the people" (vattara' le'ummim, וַתָּרַע לְאֻמִּים) means to do harm or bring evil upon nations, referring to the judgments God brought upon the Canaanites to clear the way for Israel.

Practical Application

For believers today, Psalm 44:2 offers a profound reminder of God's active involvement in history and His unwavering faithfulness to His promises. When facing personal or communal challenges, remembering God's past interventions can strengthen faith. Just as God used His mighty "hand" to establish Israel, He continues to work in our lives and in the world, bringing about His purposes. This verse encourages us to recall and celebrate God's historical victories, thereby building confidence in His ability to deliver us in our present struggles. It encourages a posture of trust, knowing that our foundation is in God's power, not our own strength, echoing the sentiment of Exodus 14:14, "The LORD shall fight for you."

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Cross-References

  • Exodus 15:17 (6 votes)

    Thou shalt bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of thine inheritance, [in] the place, O LORD, [which] thou hast made for thee to dwell in, [in] the Sanctuary, O Lord, [which] thy hands have established.

  • Psalms 78:55 (5 votes)

    He cast out the heathen also before them, and divided them an inheritance by line, and made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents.

  • Psalms 80:8 (3 votes)

    ¶ Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt: thou hast cast out the heathen, and planted it.

  • Psalms 80:11 (3 votes)

    She sent out her boughs unto the sea, and her branches unto the river.

  • 2 Samuel 7:10 (3 votes)

    Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as beforetime,

  • Psalms 135:10 (3 votes)

    Who smote great nations, and slew mighty kings;

  • Psalms 135:12 (3 votes)

    And gave their land [for] an heritage, an heritage unto Israel his people.