Psalm 44:25 - Printer Friendly

ESV: For our soul is bowed down to the dust; our belly clings to the ground.

NIV: We are brought down to the dust; our bodies cling to the ground.

NASB: For our souls have sunk down into the dust; Our bodies cling to the earth.

CSB: For we have sunk down to the dust; our bodies cling to the ground.

NLT: We collapse in the dust, lying face down in the dirt.

KJV: For our soul is bowed down to the dust: our belly cleaveth unto the earth.

NKJV: For our soul is bowed down to the dust; Our body clings to the ground.

This echoes earlier statements about Israel's current humiliation (Psalm 44:9–16). The psalmist is frustrated to see the nation suffer, despite seeing no reason for their suffering (Psalm 44:17–22). The last verses of the psalm have included pleading, combined with a bitter sense of grief (Psalm 44:23–24).

And yet, the psalmist is calling out to God for help. Rather than rejecting the Lord, the psalmist chose to look as high as he could: to the Lord. In Psalms 42 and 43 the writer acknowledges that he is depressed. He states that his soul is cast down, but dismay turns to hope as he tells his soul: "Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God" (Psalm 43:5). Although Job was the victim of many crushing trials, like the psalmist who retained hope in God, Job declared, "Though he slay me, I will hope in him" (Job 13:15). The writer of Hebrews encouraged his beleaguered readers to say confidently, "The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?" (Hebrews 13:6).

The final verse of the psalm (Psalm 44:26) includes another appeal for God to act on Israel's behalf. That plea includes an expression of faith in the Lord's "steadfast love" towards His people.

Psalm 44:23–26 contains one of Scripture's boldest, rawest complaints levied against the Lord. This closing section of Psalm 44 comprises the psalmist's desperate plea for help. After insisting Israel's recent humiliation was not due to national sin (Psalm 44:17–22), the psalm turns to a prayer for rescue. This starts with a suggestion—possibly a rhetorical statement—that God is sleeping and ignoring the situation. However, the prayer is also grounded in the assumption of God's "steadfast love."

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.