psalm 44

This psalm forms a chiastic structure:

Psa 44:1-26
1a) Psa 44:1, The help and redemption of YHVH in our fathers’ day;
1b) Psa 44:1-3, YHVH afflicted the peoples and cast them out of His Land;
1c) Psa 44:4, You are my King, O God;
1d) Psa 44:5-7, You prevail over our enemies + put to shame those who hated us;
central axis) Psa 44:8, In God we boast all day long, and praise Your name forever;
2d) Psa 44:9-16, You make us turn back from our enemies + put us to shame;
2c) Psa 44:17-22, We have not forgotten You or forsaken Your covenant;
2b) Psa 44:23-25, Do not forget the affliction and oppression of Your people;
2a) Psa 44:26, Arise for our help, and redeem us in our day.

When we are facing present trials, present enemies, present afflictions, and present oppressions, that is when we must call to mind the past victories, deliverances, help, and mercies of the LORD on our behalf. The central axis of the psalm is the excellency and praise of God, because praise is the only way to walk through trials and seeming defeats victoriously! It might have seemed to the psalmist that God had cast off His people, but God has not cast off His people!

Sometimes there is a delay, a window, between the trial coming upon us and the manifestation of the victory, where we live in the midst of the trial. During that delay, we have to walk in faith while everything seems like it is falling apart around us. During that window, we must continue to boast in God all day long, and praise His name forever!

If He is truly our King, then that is why we are sacrificed like sheep every day. If we want ease of life in this life, we are serving the wrong king. Everything we face in this life is His problem to solve — not ours. Our responsibility is to hear and obey; to believe Him and praise Him. His responsibility is to send us where He will, send us what He will, and send us whom He will. He will give us a place of service, and we serve there, until He changes our orders. The success or failure of our mission is His responsibility, not ours.

And He will deliver us again, as He has delivered us before!