Psalms 44:20

"though you have crushed us in the haunt of jackals, and covered us with the shadow of death."

Key Reflection

The psalmist speaks to God, acknowledging that despite being subjected to harsh and deadly treatment—metaphorically crushed in the haunt of jackals, a place known for danger and death—the people remain faithful. The phrase “covered us with the shadow of death” evokes a sense of divine protection or the presence of imminent doom, indicating that even in dire circumstances, they trust God's sovereignty and seek His deliverance. This imagery would have resonated deeply with the original audience, conveying both the severity of their plight and their unwavering faith in the face of adversity.

From the Scholars: Barnes' Notes

If we have forgotten the name of our God -That is, if we have apostatized from him. Or stretched out our hands to a strange god -Or have been guilty of idolatry. The act of stretching out the hands, or spreading forth the hands, was significant of worship or prayer:1Ki 8:22;2 Chronicles 6:12-13; see the notes atIsaiah 1:15. The idea here is, that this was not the cause or reason of their calamities; that if this had occurred, it would have been a sufficient reason for what had taken place; but that no such cause actually existed, and therefore the reason must be found in something else.

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