Psalm 44 Explained: Faith, Exile, and the Hope for Redemption

Psalm 44 confronts one of the most painful questions in Jewish history: How do we understand the gap between the miraculous salvation Hashem granted the Jewish people in the past and the suffering, exile, and distress they experience in the present?

As the Radak explains in his commentary on the chapter, this psalm was composed and recited specifically for times of exile and destruction. The poet speaks in the voice of a people living through exile, recalling Hashem’s past miracles while describing their present suffering. Despite everything they have endured, they remain faithful to Hashem and His covenant and plead with Him for salvation and redemption.

An Overview of Psalm 44

The psalm opens by recalling the miracles Hashem performed for earlier generations: “We have heard with our ears, O Hashem; our ancestors told us of the deeds You performed in their days, in days of old.”

The poet describes how Hashem fought for the Jewish people and saved them from their enemies. Their victories did not come through their own military strength, but through Hashem’s intervention: “For it was not by their sword that they took possession of the land, nor did their own arm save them, but by Your right hand, Your arm, and the light of Your face, because You favored them.”

Because of this salvation, the people praised and thanked Hashem: “For You saved us from our foes and put those who hate us to shame”; “In Hashem we have praised all day long, and we will thank Your name forever, Selah.”

But after recalling the glorious past, the poet turns to a painful present. Hashem no longer appears to be fighting alongside His people: “Yet You have rejected us and humiliated us, and You do not go forth with our armies”; “You make us turn back before the enemy, and those who hate us plunder for themselves.”

Without Hashem’s visible protection, Israel has suffered defeat, exile, and humiliation: “You have given us like sheep for food, and scattered us among the nations”; “You sell Your people for no price and gain nothing from their sale.”

Yet the poet makes a powerful declaration. Despite everything that has happened to the Jewish people, they have not forgotten Hashem or abandoned His covenant: “All this has come upon us, yet we have not forgotten You, nor have we betrayed Your covenant.”

Nor have they turned to foreign gods: “If we have forgotten the name of our Hashem, or spread our hands to a foreign god.” They know that nothing can be hidden from Hashem: “Would Hashem not search this out? For He knows the secrets of the heart.”

The final section becomes a desperate plea for redemption: “Awake! Why do You sleep, Lord? Arise; do not reject us forever”; “Why do You hide Your face? Why do You forget our affliction and oppression?”

The psalm concludes with a request that echoes throughout Jewish exile: “Arise as our help, and redeem us for the sake of Your kindness.”

The Full Psalm

(1) For the conductor; a maskil of the sons of Korach.

(2) O Hashem, we have heard with our ears; our ancestors told us of the deeds You performed in their days, in days of old.

(3) You, with Your hand, drove out nations and planted them; You crushed peoples and sent them away.

(4) For it was not by their sword that they took possession of the land, nor did their own arm save them, but by Your right hand, Your arm, and the light of Your face, because You favored them.

(5) You are my King, O Hashem; command salvation for Jacob.

(6) Through You we push back our foes; through Your name we trample those who rise against us.

(7) For I do not trust in my bow, nor can my sword save me.

(8) For You saved us from our foes and put those who hate us to shame.

(9) In Hashem we have praised all day long, and we will thank Your name forever, Selah.

(10) Yet You have rejected us and humiliated us, and You do not go forth with our armies.

(11) You make us turn back before the enemy, and those who hate us plunder for themselves.

(12) You have given us like sheep for food, and scattered us among the nations.

(13) You sell Your people for no price and gain nothing from their sale.

(14) You make us a disgrace to our neighbors, a mockery and a scorn to those around us.

(15) You make us a byword among the nations, a shaking of the head among the peoples.

(16) All day long my humiliation is before me, and shame covers my face.

(17) Because of the voice of one who taunts and blasphemes, because of the enemy and avenger.

(18) All this has come upon us, yet we have not forgotten You, nor have we betrayed Your covenant.

(19) Our hearts have not turned back, nor have our steps strayed from Your path.

(20) Yet You have crushed us in a place of jackals and covered us with the shadow of death.

(21) If we have forgotten the name of our Hashem, or spread our hands to a foreign god—

(22) would Hashem not search this out? For He knows the secrets of the heart.

(23) For because of You we are killed all day long; we are considered like sheep for slaughter.

(24) Awake! Why do You sleep, Lord? Arise; do not reject us forever.

(25) Why do You hide Your face? Why do You forget our affliction and oppression?

(26) For our soul is bowed down to the dust; our body clings to the earth.

(27) Arise as our help, and redeem us for the sake of Your kindness.

Key Phrases Explained

“You crushed peoples and sent them away” — You acted harshly toward the inhabitants of the land, driving them out and giving the land to the Children of Israel.

“Command salvation for Jacob” — Therefore, I ask You to decree salvation for the Children of Israel, who are called by the name Jacob.

“You put those who hate us to shame” — You caused our enemies to be ashamed. When they believed they would succeed in carrying out their plan to destroy us, You prevented them from doing so, leaving them filled with shame.

“And scattered us among the nations” — You dispersed us among the nations rather than exiling us to only one place.

“All this has come upon us, yet we have not forgotten You” — All these troubles have come upon us, and even so, we have not forgotten You, Hashem.

“Nor have we betrayed Your covenant” — We did not abandon our faith and remained loyal to You. Therefore, it is fitting that You save us.

“Our hearts have not turned back” — Our hearts have not withdrawn from serving You.

“Nor have our steps strayed from Your path” — Our way has not departed from Your way. We have continued to walk in Your path.

“Yet You have crushed us in a place of jackals” — Even though You have broken us in a place filled with snakes. The snakes are a metaphor for the enemies of the Jewish people.

“And covered us with the shadow of death” — You covered us with the darkness of exile, which brings us toward death.

“For because of You we are killed all day long” — At all times, we are killed for the sanctification of Your name.

“We are considered like sheep for slaughter” — In the eyes of the nations, we are seen as sheep being prepared for slaughter.

“Redeem us for the sake of Your kindness” — If we are not worthy of redemption, then redeem us through Your kindness.

Thought-Provoking Midrashim From Midrash Tehillim

On the opening words, “For the conductor; a maskil of the sons of Korach,” the Midrash teaches:

“From here you learn that when Israel left Egypt, they had no deeds by which they could be redeemed—not their own deeds, nor the deeds of their ancestors. The sea was not split because of their merit, but in order to make a name for Him... And when they were redeemed from Egypt, Moses told them: You are not being redeemed because of your deeds, but rather, ‘so that you may tell in the ears of your child’—to give praise to the Omnipresent, whose children recount His glory among the nations.”

What does the Midrash mean?

The Exodus from Egypt and the splitting of the Red Sea did not happen because the Children of Israel had sufficient merits or good deeds at that time, nor solely because of the merit of their ancestors. Hashem brought about their redemption in order to reveal His name and glory in the world.

This is part of the calling of the Jewish people, as it says: “So that you may tell in the ears of your child.” The miracles of redemption are not only meant to save Israel, but also to be remembered, recounted, and used to reveal Hashem’s presence in the world.

On the verse “For our soul is bowed down to the dust,” the Midrash teaches:

“Rabbi Yitzchak said: Hashem said to Abraham, ‘And I will make your descendants like the dust of the earth’ (Bereishit 13:16). Thus, ‘For our soul is bowed down to the dust.’ What follows? ‘Arise as our help.’ If we have worthy deeds, act with us on their account; and if not, act for the sake of Your name, as it says, ‘Redeem us for the sake of Your kindness.’ Rabbi Berachyah said: If the kingdom that is compared to dust reaches the lowest level, look forward to salvation. Hashem said: Moisten your deeds like a rose, and I will immediately redeem you. What follows? ‘For the conductor, upon roses.’”

What does the Midrash mean?

Rabbi Yitzchak and Rabbi Berachyah explain that the blessing given to Abraham, “And I will make your descendants like the dust of the earth,” carries a double meaning.

During exile, the Jewish people can reach the lowest point and be trampled like dust. Yet precisely when the people reach this low point, the Midrash teaches that it is time to look forward to salvation. Redemption can emerge from the very depths of exile.

The poet therefore calls out to Hashem: “Arise as our help.” If we have worthy deeds and merit, redeem us because of them. But if we do not have sufficient merit, redeem us through kindness and for the sake of Your name.

The Midrash concludes with Hashem’s call to the Jewish people. Just as a rose needs water in order to bloom and flourish, so too the Jewish people must “moisten” and renew their good deeds. When there is even a small awakening from below, Hashem hastens to bring redemption.

A hint to this idea appears in the following chapter of Tehillim, Psalm 45, which opens with the words, “For the conductor, upon roses.”