The Treasury of David Quotes - Psalm 44, Part 2

(Psalm 44 - Exposition of verse 10) '"Thou makest us to turn back from the enemy: and they which hate us spoil for themselves."  After defeat and retreat, comes spoliation.  The poor, vanquished nation paid a terrible penalty for being overcome; plunder and murder desolated the conquered land, and the invaders loaded themselves with every precious thing which they could carry away.  In spiritual experience we know what it is to be despoiled by our enemies; doubts and fears rob us of our comforts, and terrible forebodings spoil us of our hopes; and all because the Lord, for wise purposes, sees fit to leave us to ourselves.  Alas! for the deserted soul; no calamity can equal the sorrow of being left of God, though it be but for a small moment.' -- Charles Spurgeon.
 
(Psalm 44 - Exposition of verse 11) '"Thou hast given us like sheep appointed for meat; and has scattered us among the heathen."  As sheep are slaughtered for food, so were the people slain in flocks, with ease, and frequency.  Now with the dignity of sacrifice, but with the cruelty of the shambles, were they put to death.  God appeared to give them up like sheep allotted to the butcher, to abandon them as the hireling abandons the flock to wolves.  The plaint is bitterly eloquent.  Many were carried into captivity, far off from the public worship of the temple of God, to pine as exiles among idolaters.  All this is ascribed to the Lord as being allowed by him, and even appointed by his decree.  It is well to trace the hand of God in our sorrows, for it is surely there.' -- Charles Spurgeon.

(Psalm 44 - Latter exposition of verse 12) 'It always lightens a believer's trouble when he can see that God's great name will be honoured thereby, but it is a grievous aggravation of misery when we appear to be tortured in vain. For our comfort let us rest satisfied that in reality the Lord is glorified, and when no revenue of glory is manifestly rendered to him, he none the less accomplishes his own secret purposes, of which the grand result will be revealed in due time. We do not suffer for nought, nor are our griefs without result.' -- Charles Spurgeon.

(Exposition of Psalm 44) Verse 17. "All this is come upon us; yet have we not forgotten thee." Here the psalmist urges that Israel had not turned away from her allegiance to Jehovah. When in the midst of many griefs we can still cling to God in loving obedience, it must be well with us. True fidelity can endure rough usage. Those who follow God for what they get, will leave him when persecution is stirred up, but not so the sincere believer; he will not forget his God, even though the worst come to the worst. "Neither have we dealt falsely in thy covenant." No idol was set up, the ordained worship was not relinquished, God was still nationally acknowledged, and therefore the psalmist is more earnest that the Lord should interpose. This and the succeeding verses are suitable for the lips of martyrs, indeed the entire psalm might be called the martyr's complaint. Not for sin but for righteousness did the saints suffer, not for falsehood but for truth, not for forsaking the Lord, but for following hard after him. Sufferings of such a sort may be very terrible, but they are exceedingly honourable, and the comforts of the Lord shall sustain those who are accounted worthy to suffer for Christ's sake. -- Charles Spurgeon.

(Explanatory Notes and Quaint Sayings, Verses 1, 2, 4, 8 of Psalm 44) 'Children are their parent's heirs; it were unnatural for a father before he dies to bury up his treasure in the earth, where his children should not find or enjoy it; now the mercies of God are not the least part of his treasure, nor the least of his children's inheritance, being both helps to their faith, matter for their praise, and spurs to their obedience.' -- William Gurnall.