43:5 will indicate, the psalmist's problems had not ended, at least not fully and
PSALMS—NOTE ON 42:7 Deep . . . your waterfalls . . . your waves. He alleges that God is ultimately responsible for the oceans of trial in which he seems to be drowning.
PSALMS—NOTE ON 42:8 the Lord commands his steadfast love. This statement of confidence interrupts his laments (cf. their continuance in vv. 9–10), providing a few gracious gulps of divine "air" under the cascading inundations of his trials and tormentors.
PSALMS—NOTE ON 43:1–5 Psalm 43 might be conceived of as an epilogue to Ps. 42. The psalmist moves away from introspection toward invocation. However, as 43:5 will indicate, the psalmist's problems had not ended, at least not fully and finally. Nevertheless, spiritual progress is evident. By interrelating the psalmist's two modes of communication in Ps. 43 and then by comparing them with the laments of Ps. 42, one observes indications of that progress as he continued to deal with his despondency.
I. Prayers to God (43:1–4)
A. Righting Wrongs (43:1–2)
B. Restoring "Rights" (i.e., proper or appropriate things) (43:3–4) II. "Pep-talks" to Oneself (43:5)
A. Exhortation (43:5a–b)
B. Encouragement (43:5c–d)
PSALMS—NOTE ON 43:1 Vindicate me . . . defend my cause. Lit., "Judge me, O God, and argue my case." This combination of legal terms demonstrates respectively that the psalmist was requesting God to be both his Divine Judge (cf. Judg. 11:27; 1 Sam. 24:12; Ps. 7:8; 26:1) and Defense Attorney (cf. 119:154; Prov. 22:23; 23:11; Jer. 50:34; Lam. 3:58). On both concepts together, as here, cf. 1 Sam. 24:15; Ps. 35:1, 24; Mic. 7:9.
PSALMS—NOTE ON 43:2 why . . . ? Why . . . ? Since God was his refuge of strength, the psalmist questioned, why this divine rejection and why his dejection?
PSALMS—NOTE ON 43:3 your light and your truth; let them lead me. These are bold personifications for divine guidance. He desired that these "messengerattributes" divinely direct (cf. such "leading" and "guiding" in Gen. 24:48; Ps. 78:14, 53, 72; 107:30; Isa. 57:18) so as to bring him successfully to his
destination, i.e., Israel's designated place for worship.
PSALMS—NOTE ON 43:5 Why . . . why . . . Hope. Cf. 42:5, 11.
PSALMS—NOTE ON 44:1–26 Psalm 44 is a national lament following some great but historically unidentifiable defeat in battle. Throughout this psalm there are subtle shifts between speakers of the first person plural (i.e., "We" and "us"; cf. vv. 1–3, 5, 7–14, 17–22) and the first person singular (i.e., "I" or "my"; cf. vv. 4, 6, 15–16). This may indicate that the psalm was originally sung antiphonally with alterations coming from both the beaten king-general and his defeated nation. The prayers of vv. 23–26 may have been offered in unison as a climax. By employing three historical centers in Ps. 44, the psalmist tries to understand and deal with a national tragedy.
I. Focus on Past History: The Shock of This National Tragedy (44:1–8) II. Focus on Current History: The Inscrutability of This National Tragedy
(44:9–22) III. Focus on Future History: A Prayer for an End to This National Tragedy
(44:23–26)
PSALMS—NOTE ON 44:Title The words of this title are the same as those in the title of Ps. 42; however, in the Hebrew text their order is slightly different.
PSALMS—NOTE ON 44:1 we have heard. There was a rich tradition about God's great acts, which the nation's fathers had passed on. Indeed the rehearsal of holy history was commanded (cf. Ex. 10:1–2; 12:26ff.; 13:14ff.; Deut. 6:20ff.; Josh. 4:6ff.; Ps. 78:3).
PSALMS—NOTE ON 44:2 you planted. On the imagery of God's planting his people, cf. 2 Sam. 7:10; Isa. 5:1ff.; Jer. 12:2; also cf. their being planted and taking root in Ps. 80:8–11.
PSALMS—NOTE ON 44:3 not . . . but your right hand. This is a brief historical summary of the theology of divine grace, intervention, and enablement (cf. Josh. 24:17–18).
PSALMS—NOTE ON 44:4 ordain salvation for Jacob! If the division of the Hebrew consonants is taken at a different point (as it is in some early versions) this line would better fit into the immediate context, reading: "You are my King, my God, who commands (or, orders) victories for Jacob." "Jacob," the original