“But thou hast saved us from our enemies, and hast put them to shame that hated us.”
The recollection of former victories through God's power establishes historical precedent for expecting divine intervention in current crisis. The enemies' shame before God contrasts sharply with Israel's experience of being put to shame (verse 9), suggesting an apparent reversal of expected covenantal blessing. The boot and sword imagery, while using military vocabulary, emphasizes that divine power rather than human prowess accomplishes the victories. This verse reminds God (and the psalmist) of divine capacity for overwhelming enemy opposition. The contrast between former divine action and present apparent inaction intensifies the complaint.
Church Fathers on Psalms 44:7
1. This Psalm is addressed “to the sons of Korah,” as its title shows. Now Korah is equivalent to the word baldness; and we find in the Gospel that our Lord Jesus Christ was crucified in “the place of a skull.” It is clear then that this Psalm is sung to the “sons of His 'Passion.'” Now we have on this point a most certain and most evident testimony from the Apostle Paul; because that at the time when the Church was suffering under the persecutions of the Gentiles, he quoted…
Nicene & Post-Nicene / Ante-Nicene Fathers translations · public domain
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