Psalm 44 - Accountable God

Psalm 44:1-5, 9-10, 17-18, 23, 26 NIV

We have heard it with our ears, O God; 

our ancestors have told us what you did in their days, 

in days long ago. 

With your hand you drove out the nations and planted our ancestors; 

you crushed the peoples and made our ancestors flourish. 

It was not by their sword that they won the land, 

nor did their arm bring them victory; 

it was your right hand, your arm,

and the light of your face, for you loved them. 

You are my King and my God, who decrees victories for Jacob. 

Through you we push back our enemies; 

through your name we trample our foes. 

But now you have rejected and humbled us; 

you no longer go out with our armies. 

You made us retreat before the enemy, 

and our adversaries have plundered us. 

All this came upon us, though we had not forgotten you; 

we had not been false to your covenant. 

Our hearts had not turned back; 

our feet had not strayed from your path. 

Awake, Lord! Why do you sleep? 

Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever. 

Rise up and help us; rescue us because of your unfailing love.

Psalm 44 is a prayer of calling God to account. The way Israel understands its relationship with God is that if they keep his covenant faithfully, God will bless them with protection and plenty, peace and prosperity. The psalmist recounts how their ancestors told them of God's providing. God had driven out the enemy before them, giving them the promised land.

But now they have been defeated in battle. The psalmist feels that the nation of Israel has been faithful to the covenant. He feels that God is not keeping up his end of the bargain. He doesn't understand!

I've been there before! Many times when life isn't going the way I think it should, I call God to account. We may not think that we're doing that, but when we ask, "Why is this happening?" we are calling God to account.

That's the beautiful thing about Israel's relationship with God. That is the beauty and the power of the Psalms. The Psalms reveal Israel's relationship with God as one that is open and honest. God is big enough to handle our frustrations and our fears. God has covenanted himself, connected himself, bound himself to us through His promises. And we are bound to him through faith. Just as a husband and wife might call one another to account when they feel that the relationship is not being honored, people of faith call God to account and God calls his servants to account. It's a mutual relationship.

When life throws you curve balls, it may or may not be coming from God's hands. Remember that the world is broken and fallen from its original design because of sin. The Apostle Paul says that this creation is in a bondage to decay. The good news is God is working to redeem the creation from its bondage through Jesus Christ. So continue to cry out to God for justice. Continue to cry out to God for answers, but never ever abandon your hope. Never doubt that God is good all the time. You will one day understand it all.