“O God, we have heard it with our own ears— our ancestors have told us of all you did in their day, in days long ago: You drove out the pagan nations by your power and gave all the land to our ancestors. You crushed their enemies and set our ancestors free. They did not conquer the land with their swords; it was not their own strong arm that gave them victory. It was your right hand and strong arm and the blinding light from your face that helped them, for you loved them. You are my King and my God. You command victories for Israel. Only by your power can we push back our enemies; only in your name can we trample our foes. I do not trust in my bow; I do not count on my sword to save me. You are the one who gives us victory over our enemies; you disgrace those who hate us. O God, we give glory to you all day long and constantly praise your name. Interlude But now you have tossed us aside in dishonor. You no longer lead our armies to battle. You make us retreat from our enemies and allow those who hate us to plunder our land. You have butchered us like sheep and scattered us among the nations. You sold your precious people for a pittance, making nothing on the sale. You let our neighbors mock us. We are an object of scorn and derision to those around us. You have made us the butt of their jokes; they shake their heads at us in scorn. We can’t escape the constant humiliation; shame is written across our faces. All we hear are the taunts of our mockers. All we see are our vengeful enemies. All this has happened though we have not forgotten you. We have not violated your covenant. Our hearts have not deserted you. We have not strayed from your path. Yet you have crushed us in the jackal’s desert home. You have covered us with darkness and death. If we had forgotten the name of our God or spread our hands in prayer to foreign gods, God would surely have known it, for he knows the secrets of every heart. But for your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep. Wake up, O Lord! Why do you sleep? Get up! Do not reject us forever. Why do you look the other way? Why do you ignore our suffering and oppression? We collapse in the dust, lying face down in the dirt. Rise up! Help us! Ransom us because of your unfailing love.”
Psalms 44:1-26 NLT
The relationship between God and his people is a complex one. It is not upheld by man or man’s ability, although it is informed by both. In truth, man always fails in this department. The first, and least offensive reason, is that man is categorically and ontologically less than God. This means he will always fail to be a proper companion to God. Based on his parts, man can never measure up to God. More importantly, man is a corrupt creature and his nature purposefully offends God. This can be stopped if man could control himself, but meaningful control was lost in Eden. However, relationship is not only attainable, but even if enjoyable by God’s nature and his will. These things are given by grace to us and can be relied upon. In our dark and difficult times, we often forget to call upon God’s grace. The Psalmists do not. They understand both their need for it and their entitlement to it. Their need is because of their nature and their disordered state. Their entitlement is because of his nature and his ordered state. This is why a simple read may seem contradictory. But it is not. It is simply a complex understanding of man is in relation to God. When we are hurting or scared, we too, are allowed to be this complex. It is a necessary part of praising him.
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