Chapter Summary

Complaint of the Lord's apparent forgetfulness and entreaty for His help.

Discussion Questions for Psalms, Chapter 44

1. Psalm 44:1, "O God, we have heard with our ears, our fathers have told us, what deeds you performed in their days, in the days of old." (ESV) What cultural picture does this paint for us? How does this verse capture the beauty of passing down stories of God’s faithfulness to the next generation?
2. Psalm 44:6, "For not in my bow do I trust, nor can my sword save me." (ESV) What "bows" and "sword" do we see people putting their security in today? How do you remind yourself to put your trust in The Lord?
3. Psalm 44:8, "In God we have boasted continually, and we will give thanks to your name forever. Selah" (ESV) What does it mean to boast in The Lord? How does it influence our worship? How does this boasting differ from fleshly bragging?
4. What shift do we see starting in verse 9? Why is this the case for the Psalmist?
5. Psalm 44:20-21, "If we had forgotten the name of our God or spread out our hands to a foreign god, would not God discover this? For he knows the secrets of the heart." (ESV) How does this verse inspire obedience? How can it serve as accountability to one’s heart and actions?
6. What is the Psalmist confused about? How does he lift up this confusion?
7. What appears to be The Lord’s intentions in the afflictions that we find in this Psalm?
8. Why do you think the Psalmist opened up with what he knew to be true of The Lord before he made his plea?
9. What kind of imagery does the Psalmist use to depict how his heart is feeling before The Lord? How would you adapt this image to modern times? How does this help us understand what the Psalmist was wrestling with?
10. Psalm 44:26, "Rise up; come to our help! Redeem us for the sake of your steadfast love!" (ESV) How is the Psalmist able to close this chapter with recognition of God’s steadfast love? What does this teach us about recognizing God’s heart even when we are being honest about our suffering?

Key Words/Phrase

Affliction, v. 24.

Characters

God, Psalmist.

Strong Verse(s)

5, 6.