Psalm 44 is disturbing to me. It isn't what I would call your typical Psalm. It's not very "happy."
As I read it, I am pretty sure that I understand where the psalmist is coming from, but where is the happy ending?
Aren't all Psalms supposed to end like children's fairy tales? Aren't we all supposed to live happily ever after?
The writer starts out Psalm 44 as a history psalm. He is praising God for everything God did in the past.
He talks of God winning battles for Israel. And he talks about God bringing Israel up to a world "super-power."
Then, my favorite Hebrew word. Selah. It always sounds like it has some deep spiritual meaning like amen or hallelujah. But no... it just means 'break' or 'end of stanza.'
But back to Psalm 44... after verse 8, the psalm becomes a song of how terrible things have become in Israel.
People are fighting against them and winning. Countries are oppressing them.
(And as I am reading, I figure that clearly Israel is in sin and God is punishing them)
Verse 17... All this happened to us, though we had not forgotten you or been false to your covenant.
WHAT!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!
God allowed bad stuff to happen to people who were obeying Him? That isn't very 2009 American of God.
Walt Disney just rolled over in his ice cube tray.
Why is it that we love Psalm 37:4, and base our entire (life) theology around this verse, when 99% of the Bible says that our obsession with Psalm 37:4 is unbiblical?
Psalm 44 clearly shows that "God does what He wants."
God doesn't do what I want. The Bible is (get this) not about Brent. The Bible is about God.
Whoa... did I just blow your mind?
The Bible is not about God serving me and making my life better. The Bible is God teaching me how to glorify Him and make much of Him. (dang it... and I dislike Piper)
Over the past 600 pages, which is a little bit less than half of the Bible, I haven't seen my name yet.
And if the most important book ever written doesn't have my name in it... maybe that is a clue to something.
The world and Christianity and God don't revolve around Brent.
Psalm 44 is about not always getting what you want. It's about God being in control and in charge, even when I'm not happy about it.
And I think that is why I dislike it. I want God to do what I tell Him.
But let's face it... God does what He wants.
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