Psalm 44
“We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, what work thou didst in their days, in the times of old. How thou didst drive out the heathen with thy hand, and plantedst them; how thou didst afflict the people, and cast them out. For they got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them: but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour unto them… For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me. But thou hast saved us from our enemies, and hast put them to shame that hated us. In God we boast all the day long, and praise thy name for ever. Selah.” Psalm 44:1-3,6-8 (KJV)
The Psalmist recounts God’s works of redemption for the nation of Israel, most probably referring to God choosing them as a nation; their exodus out of Egypt; their inheritance of the promised land and the subsequent defeat of their enemies. This should immediately remind us of God’s promise to Abraham in Genesis 12:1-3.
It is significant that the outworking of this promise didn’t stop with Israel – it is accomplished in its fullness in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. God chose us as believers to be His people, even before the foundations of the world (see Ephesians 1:4-5); He saved us out of our slavery to sin by becoming sin in our place through His death on the cross (see 2 Corinthians 5:21); and through Him we have the inheritance of Eternal Life, with Him defeating the last enemy, death (1 Corinthians 15:26).
With regard to Israel’s redemptive history, the Psalmist emphasizes the fact that the people actually had nothing to do with it: “…For they got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them: but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour unto them…” (emphasis added) This should make us pause to think twice about our own salvation history or testimony, its grounds and the part (if any) that we played in it, if we are saved indeed.
Similar to the Psalmist’s words, Paul reiterates in Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.” In view of that, our salvation and reconciliation was achieved not by anything that we had done or may do, or through any moral characteristics that made us loveable, but through Christ and Christ alone. Indeed, God saved us while we were still His enemies (Romans 5:8-10) and delighted in us while we were still sinners.
We very often forget that the Gospel doesn’t only save us, but that it sustains us as well. We tend to think that after we have been saved by Jesus, we might be able to fend for ourselves through human capabilities. The Gospel simply doesn’t work like that. Tullian Tchividjian, the grandson of Christian evangelist, Billy Graham, wisely said that “Once God saves us He doesn't move us beyond the gospel, but He moves us more deeply into the gospel.” If we trusted in Jesus to save us, we can trust Him that He will keep us.
The Psalmist knew this. Just as the Israelites were redeemed in the past “not by their own sword”, he will not endure into the future and beyond through his own strength – “For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me.”
Are we trusting Jesus to sustain us through our current circumstances? Or have we started to put our hopes in education, governments, the legacy of Nelson Mandela, the police, army, or even our own neighbourhood watches? None of these things are bad in and of themselves - many civilians have been thanked for putting their lives on the line when riots were shaking our country and I appreciated their efforts likewise. But these things cannot and will not sustain us or give us true peace and comfort. There is only one Prince of Peace and Comforter of our souls.
Take some time to reflect on the past few weeks… What caused anxiety in your heart? Who or what made you feel safe? Where did you turn in your desperation? Did it help? Have you perhaps been treasuring earthly things more than God? Who sustains you?
“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.” 1 John 1:1-4 KJV
“This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” 1 John 1:5-10 KJV
“Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-6 KJV
“Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place. For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things? For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.” 2 Corinthians 2:14-17 KJV
“But if any have caused grief, he hath not grieved me, but in part: that I may not overcharge you all. Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many. So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow. Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him. For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things.To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ; lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.” 2 Corinthians 2:5-11 KJV
“Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech: and not as Moses, which put a veil over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished: but their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ. But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart. Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away. Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” 2 Corinthians 3:12-18 KJV
“Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.” 2 Corinthians 7:9-11 KJV
“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. So then death worketh in us, but life in you.” 2 Corinthians 4:7-12 KJV
“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
“For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: and that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."