Wake up, O Lord! Why are You sleeping? Arise! Do not reject us forever. AwakeThe psalmist begins with a fervent plea for God to "Awake." This word, in the Hebrew root "עוּר" (ur), conveys a sense of stirring or rousing from sleep. It is a powerful metaphor, suggesting that God appears to be inactive or distant in the face of Israel's suffering. Historically, this reflects moments when the Israelites felt abandoned, yet it also serves as a reminder of God's sovereignty and the belief that He is always present, even when He seems silent. The call to "Awake" is a cry for divine intervention and a return to the active presence of God in their lives. O Lord!
The invocation "O Lord!" uses the Hebrew "יְהוָה" (Yahweh), the sacred and personal name of God. This name is deeply significant, representing the covenant relationship between God and His people. By addressing God as "Lord," the psalmist acknowledges His authority and power, while also appealing to His covenantal faithfulness. It is a reminder of the intimate relationship that believers have with God, one that is based on His promises and steadfast love. Why do You sleep?
This phrase is a poignant expression of the psalmist's distress and confusion. The rhetorical question "Why do You sleep?" suggests a perceived inaction on God's part. In the Hebrew context, sleep is often associated with inactivity or neglect. However, theologically, it is understood that God does not literally sleep, as He is always vigilant and aware. This question reflects the human struggle to understand God's timing and purposes, especially during trials and tribulations. Do not reject us forever
The plea "Do not reject us forever" reveals a deep fear of abandonment. The Hebrew word for "reject" is "זָנַח" (zanach), which implies casting away or forsaking. This reflects the Israelites' fear of being permanently cut off from God's favor and presence. Historically, this fear was rooted in the consequences of disobedience and exile. Yet, the psalmist's plea is also a testament to their hope in God's mercy and the belief that His rejection is not eternal. It is a call for restoration and reconciliation, trusting in God's enduring love and faithfulness. Persons / Places / Events 1. The Sons of KorahThe authors of Psalm 44, a group of Levitical singers and musicians who served in the temple. They are known for their deep and expressive psalms that often reflect communal lament and trust in God. 2. IsraelThe nation of God's chosen people, often the subject of the psalms, expressing their collective experiences, struggles, and faith. 3. God (Yahweh)The central figure in the psalm, addressed directly by the psalmist in a plea for divine intervention and presence. 4. The Context of LamentThis psalm is set in a time of national distress, where the people feel abandoned by God despite their faithfulness. 5. The TempleThe place of worship and the dwelling place of God's presence, significant in the context of the psalm as a place where the Sons of Korah would lead worship. Teaching Points The Reality of LamentLament is a valid and biblical expression of faith. It acknowledges the pain and confusion of life while still turning to God for answers and help. God's Perceived AbsenceThere are times when God seems distant, but Scripture assures us that He is always present and working for our good, even when we cannot see it. Faith in the Midst of TrialsOur faith is tested in times of distress. Trusting God involves believing in His promises and character, even when circumstances suggest otherwise. The Power of PrayerThe psalmist's plea is a reminder of the importance of prayer, especially in times of need. We are encouraged to bring our deepest concerns to God. Hope in God's FaithfulnessDespite the current situation, the psalmist's cry is rooted in the belief that God will not reject His people forever. Our hope is anchored in God's unchanging faithfulness. Bible Study Questions 1. How does the psalmist's cry in Psalm 44:23 reflect your own experiences of feeling distant from God? How can you apply this to your prayer life? 2. In what ways does the theme of lament in Psalm 44 connect with other biblical examples of lament, such as in the book of Habakkuk or the life of Job? 3. How can the assurance found in Romans 8:31-39 provide comfort and strength when you feel like God is "asleep" in your life? 4. What practical steps can you take to maintain your faith and trust in God during times of trial and perceived abandonment? 5. How does understanding the original Hebrew context of the word "awake" ('ur) deepen your understanding of the psalmist's plea and its relevance to your life today? Connections to Other Scriptures Psalm 13Similar themes of lament and questioning God's apparent absence, yet ending in trust and hope. Habakkuk 1:2-4The prophet's cry to God about the prevalence of injustice and God's seeming inaction. Mark 4:38The disciples' plea to Jesus during the storm, questioning His care while He sleeps, paralleling the psalmist's cry for God to "awake." Romans 8:31-39Assurance of God's love and presence, even in times of trial and perceived abandonment. People Jacob, Korah, PsalmistPlaces JerusalemTopics Arise, Arouse, Awake, Cast, Forever, O, Reject, Rouse, Sleep, Sleepest, Sleeping, Stir, Thyself, WakeDictionary of Bible Themes Psalm 44:9-26 5243 byword
6115 blame Psalm 44:22-26 8615 prayer, doubts Psalm 44:23-24 5534 sleep, spiritual
5821 criticism, among believers
6109 alienation
6233 rejection, experience
8763 forgetting Psalm 44:23-26 8610 prayer, asking God Library Second Sunday after Easter
Text: First Peter 2, 20-25. 20 For what glory is it, if, when ye sin, and are buffeted for it, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye shall take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. 21 For hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that ye should follow his steps: 22 who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: 23 who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, threatened not; but committed …
Martin Luther—Epistle Sermons, Vol. IISermon at the Opening Services of the General Convention, October 2, 1889
"We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, what work Thou didst their days, in the times of old."--PSALM xliv. I. Brethren: I shall take it for granted that there is a visible Church; that it was founded by Our Lord Jesus Christ, and has His promise that the gates of hell shall never prevail against it. We believe that ours is a pure branch of the apostolic Church; that it has a threefold ministry; that its two sacraments--Baptism and the Supper of the Lord--are of perpetual …
H.B. Whipple—Five Sermons The Story of God's Mighty Acts
Now, my dear friends, this morning I intend to recall to your minds some of the wondrous things which God has done in the olden time. My aim and object will be to excite your minds to seek after the like; that looking back upon what God has done, you may be induced to look forward with the eye of expectation, hoping that he will again stretch forth his potent hand and his holy arm, and repeat those mighty acts he performed in ancient days. First, I shall speak of the marvellous stories which our …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 5: 1859 Name Date No.
NAME DATE No. A Abelard, Rev. Peter 1079-1142 544 Adams, Mrs. Sarah (Flower) 1805-1848 222 Addison, Joseph 1672-1719 237, 252, 317 Ainger, Arthur Campbell 1841-1919 483 Alexander, Mrs. Cecil Frances (Humphreys) 1823-1895 87, 138, 156, 159, 179, 268, 283, 349, 358, 525, 553 Alford, Dean Henry 1810-1871 270, 344, 421, 531, 541 Allen, Rev. James 1734-1804 157 Anonymous 37, 173, 197, 209, 257, 284, 347, 355, 356, 377, 398 Armstrong, Bishop John 1813-1856 454 Auber, Miss Harriet 1773-1862 199 cNAME DATE …
Various—The Hymnal of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the USA Letter xv. To Turribius, Bishop of Asturia , Upon the Errors of the Priscillianists.
To Turribius, Bishop of Asturia [137] , upon the errors of the Priscillianists. Leo, bishop, to Turribius, bishop, greeting. I. Introductory. Your laudable zeal for the truth of the catholic Faith, and the painstaking devotion you expend in the exercise of your pastoral office upon the Lord's flock is proved by your letter, brother, which your deacon has handed to us, in which you have taken care to bring to our knowledge the nature of the disease which has burst forth in your district from the …
Leo the Great—Writings of Leo the Great The Mystery
Of the Woman dwelling in the Wilderness. The woman delivered of a child, when the dragon was overcome, from thenceforth dwelt in the wilderness, by which is figured the state of the Church, liberated from Pagan tyranny, to the time of the seventh trumpet, and the second Advent of Christ, by the type, not of a latent, invisible, but, as it were, an intermediate condition, like that of the lsraelitish Church journeying in the wilderness, from its departure from Egypt, to its entrance into the land …
Joseph Mede—A Key to the Apocalypse Appendix iv. An Abstract of Jewish History from the Reign of Alexander the Great to the Accession of Herod
The political connection of the Grecian world, and, with it, the conflict with Hellenism, may be said to have connected with the victorious progress of Alexander the Great through the then known world (333 b.c.). [6326] It was not only that his destruction of the Persian empire put an end to the easy and peaceful allegiance which Judæa had owned to it for about two centuries, but that the establishment of such a vast Hellenic empire. as was the aim of Alexander, introduced a new element into …
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah Epistle Lxvii. To Quiricus, Bishop, &C.
To Quiricus, Bishop, &c. Gregory to Quiricus, Bishop, and the other catholic bishops in Hiberia [183] . Since to charity nothing is afar off, let those who are divided in place be joined by letter. The bearer of these presents, coming to the Church of the blessed Peter, Prince of the apostles, asserted that he had received letters for us from your Fraternity, and had lost them, with other things also, in the city of Jerusalem. In them, as he says, you were desirous of enquiring with regard to priests …
Saint Gregory the Great—the Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great Under the Shepherd's Care.
A NEW YEAR'S ADDRESS. "For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls."--1 Peter ii. 25. "Ye were as sheep going astray." This is evidently addressed to believers. We were like sheep, blindly, willfully following an unwise leader. Not only were we following ourselves, but we in our turn have led others astray. This is true of all of us: "All we like sheep have gone astray;" all equally foolish, "we have turned every one to his own way." Our first …
J. Hudson Taylor—A Ribband of Blue Introduction. Chapter i. --The Life and Writings of St. Hilary of Poitiers.
St. Hilary of Poitiers is one of the greatest, yet least studied, of the Fathers of the Western Church. He has suffered thus, partly from a certain obscurity in his style of writing, partly from the difficulty of the thoughts which he attempted to convey. But there are other reasons for the comparative neglect into which he has fallen. He learnt his theology, as we shall see, from Eastern authorities, and was not content to carry on and develop the traditional teaching of the West; and the disciple …
St. Hilary of Poitiers—The Life and Writings of St. Hilary of Poitiers Triumph Over Death and the Grave
O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin: and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. T he Christian soldier may with the greatest propriety, be said to war a good warfare (I Timothy 1:18) . He is engaged in a good cause. He fights under the eye of the Captain of his salvation. Though he be weak in himself, and though his enemies are many and mighty, he may do that which in other soldiers …
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 2 The Prophet Joel.
PRELIMINARY REMARKS. The position which has been assigned to Joel in the collection of the Minor Prophets, furnishes an external argument for the determination of the time at which Joel wrote. There cannot be any doubt that the Collectors were guided by a consideration of the chronology. The circumstance, that they placed the prophecies of Joel just between the two prophets who, according to the inscriptions and contents of their prophecies, belonged to the time of Jeroboam and Uzziah, is …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament Calvin -- Enduring Persecution for Christ
John Calvin was born in 1509, at Noyon, France. He has been called the greatest of Protestant commentators and theologians, and the inspirer of the Puritan exodus. He often preached every day for weeks in succession. He possest two of the greatest elements in successful pulpit oratory, self-reliance and authority. It was said of him, as it was afterward said of Webster, that "every word weighed a pound." His style was simple, direct, and convincing. He made men think. His splendid contributions to …
Various—The World's Great Sermons, Volume I Psalms
The piety of the Old Testament Church is reflected with more clearness and variety in the Psalter than in any other book of the Old Testament. It constitutes the response of the Church to the divine demands of prophecy, and, in a less degree, of law; or, rather, it expresses those emotions and aspirations of the universal heart which lie deeper than any formal demand. It is the speech of the soul face to face with God. Its words are as simple and unaffected as human words can be, for it is the genius …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links Psalm 44:23 NIVPsalm 44:23 NLTPsalm 44:23 ESVPsalm 44:23 NASBPsalm 44:23 KJV
Psalm 44:23 Commentaries
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