Psalm 44
Psalms 44:1-27
You have made us like sheep for slaughter [draft sermon outline]
#psalm
#Gospel
#biblicaltheology
Published October 12th, 2022
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Psalms 44:1-26
esv
Come to Our Help 44 To the choirmaster. c A Maskil 1 of the Sons of Korah. 1 O God, we have heard with our ears, d our fathers have told us, what deeds you performed in their days, e in the days of old: 2 you with your own hand f drove out the nations, but g them you planted; you afflicted the peoples, but h them you set free; 3 for not i by their own sword did they win the land, nor did their own arm save them, but your right hand and your arm, and j the light of your face, k for you delighted in them. 4 l You are my King, O God; m ordain salvation for Jacob! 5 Through you we n push down our foes; through your name we o tread down those who rise up against us. 6 For not in p my bow do I trust, nor can my sword save me. 7 But you have saved us from our foes and have q put to shame those who hate us. 8 r In God we have boasted continually, and we will give thanks to your name forever. Selah 9 But you have s rejected us and disgraced us and t have not gone out with our armies. 10 You have made us u turn back from the foe, and those who hate us have gotten spoil. 11 You have made us like v sheep for slaughter and have w scattered us among the nations. 12 x You have sold your people for a trifle, demanding no high price for them. 13 You have made us y the taunt of our neighbors, the derision and z scorn of those around us. 14 You have made us a a byword among the nations, b a laughingstock 1 among the peoples. 15 All day long my disgrace is before me, and c shame has covered my face 16 at the sound of the taunter and reviler, at the sight of d the enemy and the avenger. 17 e All this has come upon us, though we have not forgotten you, and we have not been false to your covenant. 18 Our heart has not turned back, nor have our f steps g departed from your way; 19 yet you have h broken us in the place of i jackals and covered us with j the shadow of death. 20 If we had forgotten the name of our God or k spread out our hands to l a foreign god, 21 m would not God discover this? n For he knows the secrets of the heart. 22 Yet o for your sake we are killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered. 23 p Awake! Why are you sleeping, O Lord? Rouse yourself! q Do not reject us forever! 24 Why r do you hide your face? Why do you forget our affliction and oppression? 25 For our s soul is bowed down to the dust; our belly clings to the ground. 26 Rise up; t come to our help! u Redeem us for the sake of your steadfast love!
Psalms 44:1-27
wlc
44 1 לַמְנַצֵּ֬חַ לִבְנֵי ־ קֹ֬רַח מַשְׂכִּֽיל ׃ 2 אֱלֹהִ֤ים ׀ בְּאָזְנֵ֬ינוּ שָׁמַ֗עְנוּ אֲבוֹתֵ֥ינוּ סִפְּרוּ ־ לָ֑נוּ פֹּ֥עַל פָּעַ֥לְתָּ בִֽ֝ימֵיהֶ֗ם בִּ֣ימֵי קֶֽדֶם ׃ 3 אַתָּ֤ה ׀ יָדְךָ֡ גּוֹיִ֣ם ה֭וֹרַשְׁתָּ וַתִּטָּעֵ֑ם תָּרַ֥ע לְ֝אֻמִּ֗ים וַֽתְּשַׁלְּחֵֽם ׃ 4 כִּ֤י לֹ֪א בְחַרְבָּ֡ם יָ֥רְשׁוּ אָ֗רֶץ וּזְרוֹעָם֮ לֹא ־ הוֹשִׁ֪יעָ֫ה לָּ֥מוֹ כִּֽי ־ יְמִֽינְךָ֣ וּ֭זְרוֹעֲךָ וְא֥וֹר פָּנֶ֗יךָ כִּ֣י רְצִיתָֽם ׃ 5 אַתָּה ־ ה֣וּא מַלְכִּ֣י אֱלֹהִ֑ים צַ֝וֵּ֗ה יְשׁוּע֥וֹת יַעֲקֹֽב ׃ 6 בְּ֭ךָ צָרֵ֣ינוּ נְנַגֵּ֑חַ בְּ֝שִׁמְךָ֗ נָב֥וּס קָמֵֽינוּ ׃ 7 כִּ֤י לֹ֣א בְקַשְׁתִּ֣י אֶבְטָ֑ח וְ֝חַרְבִּ֗י לֹ֣א תוֹשִׁיעֵֽנִי ׃ 8 כִּ֣י ה֭וֹשַׁעְתָּנוּ מִצָּרֵ֑ינוּ וּמְשַׂנְאֵ֥ינוּ הֱבִישֽׁוֹתָ ׃ 9 בֵּֽ֭אלֹהִים הִלַּלְ֣נוּ כָל ־ הַיּ֑וֹם וְשִׁמְךָ֓ ׀ לְעוֹלָ֖ם נוֹדֶ֣ה סֶֽלָה ׃ 10 אַף ־ זָ֭נַחְתָּ וַתַּכְלִימֵ֑נוּ וְלֹא ־ תֵ֝צֵ֗א בְּצִבְאוֹתֵֽינוּ ׃ 11 תְּשִׁיבֵ֣נוּ אָ֭חוֹר מִנִּי ־ צָ֑ר וּ֝מְשַׂנְאֵ֗ינוּ שָׁ֣סוּ לָֽמוֹ ׃ 12 תִּ֭תְּנֵנוּ כְּצֹ֣אן מַאֲכָ֑ל וּ֝בַגּוֹיִ֗ם זֵרִיתָֽנוּ ׃ 13 תִּמְכֹּֽר ־ עַמְּךָ֥ בְלֹא ־ ה֑וֹן וְלֹ֥א ־ רִ֝בִּ֗יתָ בִּמְחִירֵיהֶֽם ׃ 14 תְּשִׂימֵ֣נוּ חֶ֭רְפָּה לִשְׁכֵנֵ֑ינוּ לַ֥עַג וָ֝קֶ֗לֶס לִסְבִיבוֹתֵֽינוּ ׃ 15 תְּשִׂימֵ֣נוּ מָ֭שָׁל בַּגּוֹיִ֑ם מְנֽוֹד ־ רֹ֝֗אשׁ בַּל ־ אֻמִּֽים ׃ 16 כָּל ־ הַ֭יּוֹם כְּלִמָּתִ֣י נֶגְדִּ֑י וּבֹ֖שֶׁת פָּנַ֣י כִּסָּֽתְנִי ׃ 17 מִ֭קּוֹל מְחָרֵ֣ף וּמְגַדֵּ֑ף מִפְּנֵ֥י א֝וֹיֵ֗ב וּמִתְנַקֵּֽם ׃ 18 כָּל ־ זֹ֣את בָּ֭אַתְנוּ וְלֹ֣א שְׁכַחֲנ֑וּךָ וְלֹֽא ־ שִׁ֝קַּ֗רְנוּ בִּבְרִיתֶֽךָ ׃ 19 לֹא ־ נָס֣וֹג אָח֣וֹר לִבֵּ֑נוּ וַתֵּ֥ט אֲשֻׁרֵ֗ינוּ מִנִּ֥י אָרְחֶֽךָ ׃ 20 כִּ֣י דִ֭כִּיתָנוּ בִּמְק֣וֹם תַּנִּ֑ים וַתְּכַ֖ס עָלֵ֣ינוּ בְצַלְמָֽוֶת ׃ 21 אִם ־ שָׁ֭כַחְנוּ שֵׁ֣ם אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ וַנִּפְרֹ֥שׂ כַּ֝פֵּ֗ינוּ לְאֵ֣ל זָֽר ׃ 22 הֲלֹ֣א אֱ֭לֹהִים יַֽחֲקָר ־ זֹ֑את כִּֽי ־ ה֥וּא יֹ֝דֵ֗עַ תַּעֲלֻמ֥וֹת לֵֽב ׃ 23 כִּֽי ־ עָ֭לֶיךָ הֹרַ֣גְנוּ כָל ־ הַיּ֑וֹם נֶ֝חְשַׁ֗בְנוּ כְּצֹ֣אן טִבְחָֽה ׃ 24 ע֤וּרָה ׀ לָ֖מָּה תִישַׁ֥ן ׀ אֲדֹנָ֑י הָ֝קִ֗יצָה אַל ־ תִּזְנַ֥ח לָנֶֽצַח ׃ 25 לָֽמָּה ־ פָנֶ֥יךָ תַסְתִּ֑יר תִּשְׁכַּ֖ח עָנְיֵ֣נוּ וְֽלַחֲצֵֽנוּ ׃ 26 כִּ֤י שָׁ֣חָה לֶעָפָ֣ר נַפְשֵׁ֑נוּ דָּבְקָ֖ה לָאָ֣רֶץ בִּטְנֵֽנוּ ׃ 27 ק֭וּמָֽה 1 עֶזְרָ֣תָה לָּ֑נוּ וּ֝פְדֵ֗נוּ לְמַ֣עַן חַסְדֶּֽךָ ׃
Psalms 44:22
22 Yet o for your sake we are killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.
Psalms 44:22
lxx
23 ὅτι ἕνεκα σοῦ θανατούμεθα ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν ἐλογίσθημεν ὡς πρόβατα σφαγῆς
NT
Romans 8:36
36 As it is written, w “For your sake x we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”
Romans 8:36
sbl
36 καθὼς γέγραπται ὅτι Ἕνεκεν σοῦ θανατούμεθα ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν, ἐλογίσθημεν ὡς πρόβατα σφαγῆς.
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You have made us like sheep for slaughter Intro Praying when we are suffering even though we are innocent. Praying when God seems to be fast asleep. Praying when our present experience seems nothing like God's ancient ways. These words to God are inspired. We must not shrink back from them. Many of us will feel exactly this at times. This Psalm can guide us. Recap - who were the Sons of Korah. What is book 2 of the Psalms. The move between plural and singular. He prays on behalf of the many. Note above all that the sufferer unremittingly turns to God in his/her suffering - not away from him. 1. We have trusted in God, not in ourselves (v1-8) v1-8 seems a wonderful triumphant Psalm of spiritual health. Not trusting in self, but in God. Recalling God's dealings with his people in 'ancient days'. This covenantal rehearsal matters for the final word in v26. When was this written? Not during the exile, as that was a time of clear awareness and confession of guilt. Who can honestly say v8, we have praised/boasted in God continually and we will give thanks to your name forever. Even Job is ultimately silenced. Only our Lord Jesus can sing this with entire blamelessness. 2. But you have humiliated us! (v9-22) v9 is the jolt. Accusing God. v11 cf v22 You have made us like sheep for slaughter... Derision and scorn is an emphasised theme v13-16 v17 what confidence! We have not been false to your covenant. Truly innocent sufferer. Like Job, ultimately this is Jesus. v19 covered with the shadow of death. Romans 8 and Psalm 44 Being certain of God's love when it is hidden is what binds Psalm 44 together with Romans 8.36. Psalm 44 is sure because of God's covenantal love (told in v1-8, and summed up in 'hesed' in v26). Romans 8 is sure because of the cross of Christ. It's the same certainty. 'For your sake'; upon/on account of you. This could be both, because we are God's people we are constantly given over to death - in a persecutory sense. Or, in a good Fatherly love plan sense. Romans 8.36. Some evidence that Rabbis quoted Psalm 44.22 in reference to the death of martyrs. Paul is showing that it is no new thing for God's innocent people to suffer for his sake. And even this is no separation from God's love. The sense is, shall anything separate us from God's love? What about suffering, like Psalm 44? Answer, Romans 8.37, no: in all these things we are hyper-conquerors through him who loved us. 3. Wake up and help us! (v23-26) The final word is hesed. This is significant. Calling to God in the darkness. Trusting what we learned in the light. Turns to God in vigorous and bold prayer: enabled and empowered by the knowledge that God is, above all, faithful to his promises for his name's sake. His loyal love. There is an acted-out version of this in Mark 4; wake up and help us, don't you care that we're drowning! ['O you of little faith'] God's glory . Our suffering does not separate us from his love. In fact, our suffering is shown to be 'for his sake'. FCF . We turn away from God in suffering. H1. Cynicism and viewing suffering as a 'defeater'. H2. Nurturing unbelief, and constant doubts. Creating elaborate theological systems to prop up a view of God where his blessings are predictable. Listening to Satan's 'second word'. Person of Jesus . He is the suffering servant, the truly righteous suffering one who can say v1-8, and v17-18. Work of Jesus . He is the one who is the sheep for the slaughter, and our sins are laid on him. For our sake he was regarded as a sheep for the slaughter. He was 'covered with death'. Union with Jesus . It is granted to us to enter a fellowship of his sufferings (Philippians 1). Invitation. Come and die... Confrontation. Stop nurturing unbelief about God. Consolation. Our suffering is proof of his love! Only those in Jesus can see this! Wrap up: What can separate us from the love of Christ? Revisit Romans 8.35-37. And so we can pray to God boldly, 'wake up and help us!'
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