Psalm 44 – The Church
A faith community worships together, loves together, lives together, serves together and … suffers together. Doesn’t it feel like the Christian community is on the ropes today and is suffering? Post-COVID, church attendance (which was already on the slide) is plummeting, gross indiscretions by church leaders derail any positive momentum that the church can muster, the education system seems hell-bent to oppose any inclusion of spirituality in the development of our youth, inter- and intra-denominational strife and discord are tearing the church universal apart … the list could continue for several pages. The church is under pressure and seems to be failing! Where is G-d when the Church needs Him?!
It should surprise no one that this situation is not new. Psalm 44, most likely written after the “rich and famous of Israel” were carted off into Babylonian exile in 586 BCE, demonstrates that. This communal lament voices the faith community’s anger and pain to, and against, G-d: “You [G-d] have rejected and disgraced us.” (v. 9); “You [G-d] gave us up to be devoured like sheep.” (v. 11); “You [G-d] have sold us for a pittance.” (v. 12)
The community reminds G-d (as if He would forget!) that He has acted on their behalf in the past, “We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, what you did in their days long ago.” (v. 1) The faith community (through the psalmist) points out that THEY have not forgotten G-d: “All of this has happened to us, though we have not forgotten you or been false to your covenant.” (v. 17)
And then the community shakes its fist at G-d and demands action, as only a faith community that truly relies on Him, and Him alone, can do: “Wake up, O LORD! Why do you sleep?” (yet another great theological question!); “Rise up and redeem us because of your unfailing love.” (v. 26)
The boldness of this final petition is stunning. It can only happen if the petitioners have a deep and abiding relationship built on a history of reliance, trust and hope in G-d. I pray that we, as a universal Christian community, would feel that same trust and hope in Yeshua and that we, together, would cry out to Him for help and for the recovery and redemption of the Church.
That is our exhortation today: cry out to G-d that He would rescue His church for His name’s sake and for His glory.
Shalom שָׁלוֹם
DWach
PS … yet, amid the affliction and oppression, G-d’s people praise His name: “God, we praise you all day long, and your name we acclaim for all time.” (v. 8); DJ Revonda picked one of our favs from Paul Wilber based on this verse from Psalm 44. The setting for this concert is the Southern Stairs of Temple Mount in Jerusalem, a place where the faith community gathered in the time of Jesus … some of you have been there! Note … the song is in Hebrew and English:
