Psalm 43 — 44
(80:8–11; Ex. 15:17; Isa. 5). All of this was done, not because Israel deserved it, but because of God's love and grace (Deut. 4:34–37; 7:7–9, 19; 8:17; 9:4–6; 26:8–9). God's power gave the victory and His countenance smiled upon His people (4:6; 31:16; 80:3, 7, 19). The psalmist affirmed that Jehovah was still their King (v. 4; 10:16; 29:10; 47:6; 74:12) and could easily command (decree) victories for His people. The nation wanted no glory for itself; they wanted the Lord to receive all the glory.
(23:6), and His light and truth lead them (43:3; see 27:1; 26:3; 30:9; 40:10). God's "holy hill" is Mount Zion, where God's sanctuary was located, the dwelling place of God.
But the writer wasn't exulting simply in freedom from his enemies and a return to his native home, but in the privilege of visiting God's altar, offering his sacrifices, and praising the Lord. He has made great progress since he watched the hind seeking for water. The "living God" (42:2) became "the God of my life" (42:8), and now He is "God my exceeding joy … God, my God (43:8 nasb). His focus is no longer on himself, his disappointments, or his circumstances, but on the Lord his God, and that makes all the difference. The refrain in 43:5 must not be read with the same dejected voice as 42:5 and 11, for faith in Jehovah has changed everything. The New American Standard Bible and the New King James Version translate verse 5, "Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance, and my God." The word help can be translated "health." When by faith we see the face of God smiling upon us (Num. 6:22–27), our own countenance brightens up and becomes spiritually healthy. We know God is for us, that God will set us free and guide us to His Holy City, where we shall worship Him and sing His praises. "Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning" (30:5 nkjv).
Forsaken by God: "You Are Not Helping Us" (vv. 9–16) But the people were perplexed. If God gave them the land in His grace and enabled them to defeat their enemies, why was He now forsaking them and allowing the idolatrous nations to win the victories? For many years, the Lord had been the "invisible warrior" who went before the Jewish armies and led them to victory (Josh. 5:13–15; 6:6; Num. 10:35; 2 Sam. 11:11), but now He seemed to have forsaken His people and abandoned His covenant. Israel was God's precious flock (74:1; 77:20; 80:1; 100:3; Num. 27:17; Ezek. 34), but He was permitting them to be slaughtered by the enemy and treated as worthless (Judg. 2:14; 3:8; 4:2, 9). Those prisoners of war who weren't slain were sold as slaves and scattered among the neighboring pagan nations. These nations rejoiced that Israel had been humiliated by defeat, and they taunted and ridiculed the Jews. It was a dark day for the people of God, and they could not understand what the Lord was accomplishing. (See 42:10; 74:10, 18, 22; 79:4, 12.) Dishonor and disgrace brought the people to the place of submission and intercession.