Yet for your sake we are killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.
Awake! Why are you sleeping, O Lord?
Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever!
Why do you hide your face?
Why do you forget our affliction and oppression?
For our soul is bowed down to the dust;
our belly clings to the ground.
Rise up; come to our help!
Redeem us for the sake of your steadfast love!
(Psalm 44:22–26)
Persecution. It is in this section that we get our first clue for what is actually happening to the psalmists. They are probably being persecuted for their faith. They are facing death for his sake. Jesus said the same, that we would be persecuted for righteousness (Mt. 5:10,11) and that we would suffer because he suffered (Jn. 15:20). And Peter made it clear that one purpose of suffering is to prove that our faith is genuine, that is, the fact that we suffer like Christ proves that we belong to him (1 Pt. 1:7).
The question that you are asking if you are suffering now is, “Why?” In some ways it would be easier to accept your suffering if God were partially impotent or if you had done something to deserve it. But in the case of these psalmists, they are suffering persecution for their faith ultimately because God has ordained it.
That’s all we get in this Psalm. We get a few more insights into God’s purpose for such suffering in other parts of the Scripture. Peter says that non-disciplinary suffering will result in “praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed” (1 Pt.1:7). Paul says something similar in 2 Thess. 1. After promising that God will pay back those who persecute his church, he explains why it is necessary that the church suffer, “so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ” (v.12). So our non-disciplinary suffering is ultimately to glorify the grace of God.
But let’s press farther. How does our suffering glorify the grace of God? We have to look at Job for that answer. It is simply this, when we continue to love and worship God regardless of our suffering God proves to the Devil and his minions, his cosmic accusers, the greatness of his grace and love. His grace and love are so great that we are compelled to love him regardless of our circumstances. Peter says that not even God’s angels can comprehend that.
Persistence. But we must not leave this point too soon. There is still something to do even if you know God’s ultimate purposes. It is to pray like crazy. The psalmist argues, pleads, and persists with God in prayer. Pastors of the distant past urged their congregations to appeal to God like this psalmist. The psalmist says this in effect: “You helped us in the past. You must help us now. But you are not helping. You act like you are sleeping. We have done nothing wrong. You are still sovereign. Your name is being mocked. Rise up and do something!”
This is gripping God. And it will not cease even when our souls are in heaven awaiting God’s final consummation of history. The martyrs under the altar cry out, “How long until you avenge our blood?” God’s answer reveals that history is more than our personal histories, “they are told to wait a little longer until the number of their fellow servants and brothers who were to be killed as they had been was completed” (Rev. 6:10,11).
Prayer
Use this psalm as a guide to form your own prayer.
For opportunities to serve in our church and our city, please visit https://www.2pc.org/covid-19-ministry-partner-needs/.