Year 2, Day 190: Psalm 44

Psalm 44

Psalm 44 begins with a really neat perspective that I do not believe we have heard at all in the psalms this far.  “We have heard with our ears.”  Psalm 44 begins with a discourse on the importance of hearing stories about faith.  Psalm 44 reminds us to pay attention to the faith stories of the generations that have come before us.

The psalmist talks about how he has heard the stories of how God planted the Hebrew people in the Promised Land after driving out the rebellious nations.  He heard stories about how it was not their own power that saved them, but God’s miraculous power at work in their lives.  But what is important is that these stories have impacted the life of the psalmist.

Is this not one of the reasons that we must be active in talking about our faith experiences and the experiences of those who have come before us?  Is this not one of the main reasons that the Word of God can be such an incredible instrument to our life?  Is not the Word of God a massive collection about the faithfulness of God in the midst of people’s lives – some of whom who were righteous, some of whom were rebellious and repented, and some of whom were rebellious and never repented?  The Word of God is a timeless witness to us because it is story after story of how God has worked throughout all of humanity and it is a book that therefore promises that God will continue to work within us!

I know that I’ve said this before, but I think it is worth saying again.  I’ve met people who say, “The relationship I have with God is private between Him and me.”  Now, I understand that there are some things that a person only shares with God.  But should we not be actively talking about how we pray, how we read God’s Word, and the lessons we learn along the way?  Should we not be talking about how God teaches us through our service and our giving?  Should we not be vocal about the blessings of our relationships with others and with God?

As we move through the psalmist’s remembrances, we come upon a few verses of hope that are simply amazing.  Psalm 44:8 speaks of boasting in God continually and giving thanks to His name forever.  This line reminds me of Psalm 145 – especially Psalm 145:2 and Psalm 145:21, noting the emphasis that Psalm 145 places upon the communal declarations of faith.  This also reminds me of the way that Daniel begins his response to God when God allows him to interpret King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in Daniel 2:20.  You see, God’s name will be blessed forever.  We may come and go.  The generations may pass and fall before God.  But His name will be praised forever.  The things in which we wrongly put our hope will come and go, but the true source of strength will always remain and will always deserve our praise.

However, it is at this point that the psalm takes on a much more ominous tone.  The psalmist believes that the Lord has abandoned them in their time of need – and claims that they have not forsaken their God.  The psalmist seems to struggle with the question: “Why do bad things happen to good people?”

This is a very difficult question to answer because there are so many possible answers.

• Perhaps the good person is not quite as good as they think they are.  I find this explanation almost universally true.  How many of us are ever as good as we really think we are?
• Perhaps God has sent a challenge into our life so that He can demonstrate His righteousness and His steadfastness to us?
• Perhaps God is teaching someone else and we’re just experiencing unfortunate “collateral damage.”
• Sometimes this world is simply under the influence of tremendous evil and we have to deal with the consequences of it. 

I’m sure there are plenty of other reasons that could explain why bad things happen to good people.  The truth is that this is a question that none of us can answer unless we look at each specific context.

However, there is a truth that this psalm brings out.  No matter what happens in this world, we cannot be separated from the love of God.  See Romans 8:31-39, as this psalm is the basis for the theology that he presents there.  In those moments where the world is treating us unfairly and we have legitimately not forsaken God, is there any better place to turn than calling upon God?  In those moments where we come upon evil consequences through no fault of our own, is there anything more than God that we can trust to make sense of life?  Even when bad things happen to good people, can any of those bad things take away the hope and salvation that we have found in God?

That is the wonderful truth that this psalm has for us.  God is our rock, our strength, and our shelter.  In those times when we are suffering through no fault of our own, we should turn to Him.  In those times where we might be suffering through our legitimately earned consequences, we should turn to Him.  In those times when we celebrate – whether through our own consequences or through some undeserved blessing – we should turn to Him.  In doing so, we will be proclaiming God’s nature and our relationship with Him to the generations around us.

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