Psalm 44:14 - Printer Friendly

ESV: You have made us a byword among the nations, a laughingstock among the peoples.

NIV: You have made us a byword among the nations; the peoples shake their heads at us.

NASB: You make us a proverb among the nations, A laughingstock among the peoples.

CSB: You make us a joke among the nations, a laughingstock among the peoples.

NLT: You have made us the butt of their jokes; they shake their heads at us in scorn.

KJV: Thou makest us a byword among the heathen, a shaking of the head among the people.

NKJV: You make us a byword among the nations, A shaking of the head among the peoples.

This psalm began with a celebration of Israel's early victories, all of which were credited to God (Psalm 44:1–8). This quickly turned to anguish as the psalmist mourns an especially humiliating defeat (Psalm 44:9–13). Not only was the loss painful, but it also gave enemies a reason to mock Israel. The people have not only been harmed, they have also been shamed (Psalm 44:15–16). Israel's name has become a code word: mention of it immediately implies disgrace or contempt.

This abhorrent treatment also befell Jesus when He was dying on the cross. Prophetically, Psalm 22:7 declares, "All who seek me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads." Matthew 27:39–40 gives the fulfillment of this prophecy by stating: "And those who passed by derided him [Jesus], wagging their heads and saying, 'You who would destroy the temple, and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.'" The apostle Paul, too, was the target of ridicule. When he proclaimed the gospel at the Areopagus at Mars Hill, some of the philosophers in the audience called him a babbler (Acts 17:18). At the conclusion of his message, some teased (Acts 17:32). Those who ridicule believers and the gospel have been present for all of history (Jude 1:17–18).

Psalm 44:9–16 marks a drastic change in tone. The previous section contained praise for God's miraculous intervention on Israel's behalf. The psalmist made clear his intent to serve and praise the Lord. Here, however, the writer's words overflow with complaining and questioning. Suffering an especially humiliating defeat leads the people to ask, "why?" Has God abandoned them, or is there another explanation? This resembles other passages expressing natural human anguish when God doesn't act as we'd expect (Psalm 73:2–3; Habakkuk 1:2–4).

Israel passed down stories of God's miraculous power and the victories the Lord granted. However, this psalm comes after the nation has suffered some humiliating defeat. The psalmist struggles to understand why, as he sees no evidence of national sin in Israel to justify punishment. The writer expresses raw emotion, frustrated and anguished, yet prays for rescue out of faith in God's lovingkindness.

This psalm seems to follow a major defeat in battle. No explicit context is given, though the psalmist claims it was not God's punishment for national idolatry. Some commentators see connection to a conflict with Edom, who surprised Israel when the nation was engaged in other battles (Psalm 60; 85; Amos 1:6; 2 Samuel 8:13) as a possible explanation. This is another example of biblical writers expressing raw human emotions as they struggle to understand God's will. Psalms 69 and 73 include related themes. Habakkuk chapter 1 expresses similar ideas.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.