Arise and Redeem Us! (6)

Opening Prayer: Psalm 44.5-8
Through You we will push down our enemies;
Through Your name we will trample those who rise up against us.
For I will not trust in my bow,
Nor shall my sword save me.
But You have saved us from our enemies,
And have put to shame those who hated us.
In God we boast all day long,
And praise Your name forever.

Sing Psalm 44.5-8, 23-26
(Faithfulness: Great is Thy Faithfulness)
Through You shall we all our enemies vanquish; them will we trample in Your mighty Name.
We will not trust in our strength or our wisdom; Jesus will save us; we’ll boast of His fame!
Refrain vv. 23-26
Rise up, awake, O Lord! Hide not Your face from us,
see our affliction, our suffering and pain!
See how our soul is sunk down with oppression;
Rise up and help and redeem us we pray!

Read Psalm 44.23-26

Preparation
1. What are the psalmists seeking in these verses?

2. How would you describe the tone of these verses? Is this how your pray?

Meditation
It’s hard to miss the feeling of urgency in these verses: “Awake!”, “Arise!”, “redeem us”. When God’s people begin to stray, as evidently they were doing under the later years of King Solomon’s reign, no amount of mere persuasion will convince them to stop living “under the sun” and return to life “under the heavens”. God must work, and He begins that work by coming powerfully among His people to stir them for revival.

The “face of God” is a phrase that conveys a wide range of ideas, including the favor of the Lord, the Presence and power of His Spirit (Ezek. 29.29), and the powerful working of His Word (Ps. 119.135). His face being turned away indicates that these benefits were in decline in Israel, as was indeed the case, beginning with the drifting of Solomon’s heart (cf. 1 Kgs. 11.1ff).

God, of course, does not sleep (Ps. 121.3, 4). It can seem that He does at times, but it’s not that God has nodded off; rather, we have departed from Him. And if we are to be revived, we need to acknowledge the miserable state of our soul (v. 25) and call on the Lord to help, heal, redeem, and revive us in His mercy (v. 26).

Remember God’s works and promises (vv. 1-7). Face up to your sin and need (vv. 8-12). Lament the sad condition into which sin has plunged you (vv. 13-16). Search your heart and remember the Lord (vv. 17-22). Cry out to Him for revival (vv. 23-26).

I think we can agree that Psalm 44 is a timely guide to prayer for our own day.

Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
It can seem as if God sleeps, “but it’s not that God has nodded off; rather we have departed from Him.”

And when we depart it can seem like we are being afflicted and oppressed. Sometimes this is for our own good, as Asaph contemplated in Psalm 78: “When He slew them, then they sought Him; and they returned and sought earnestly for God” (vs. 34).

And when we “acknowledge the miserable state of our soul” He does revive, heal, and help us. Again, Asaph says, “But He, beingfull of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and did not destroy them. Yes, many a time He turned His anger away, and did not stir up all His wrath; for He remembered that they were but flesh, a breath that passes away and does not come again” (Ps. 78.38, 39). David also pleads this pervasive human condition: “For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust” (Ps. 103.14).

Jesus, the face of God that was seen by humanity, expressed this compassion first-hand. As He was teaching, and preaching, and healing, and amongst the people the Bible says that “when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd” (Matt. 9.36).

If we ask, He will revive us. He will have mercy on us. He will show us compassion. “Arise for our help, and redeem us for your mercies’ sake” (Ps. 44.26).

And thank You, O God, for remembering us when we are self-afflicted and oppressed.

Reflection
1. How can we tell if God has turned His face away from us?

2. Revival, as our psalm indicates, begins in prayer. How can you add praying for revival to your daily prayers?

3. Is it possible for us to drift from the favor of the Lord, and not even know it? Explain.

The cry to awake is an appeal for God to act on behalf of His people. The cry is based on the people’s faith that the Lord will forgive. redeem us: In v. 12, the people suggested that God had sold them; here they ask Him to redeem them—to buy them back for Himself. Earl Radmacher (1931-2014), NKJV Study Bible Notes on Psalm 44.23-26

Closing Prayer: Psalm 44.17, 18, 23-26
Call upon the Lord to lead His people to repentance, revival, and renewal; and to awaken the world to Jesus and His salvation.

Sing Psalm 44.17, 18, 23-26
(Faithfulness: Great is Thy Faithfulness)
All this has come on us, but we remember: You are our covenant God and our King!
Turn back our hearts to adore and extol You; Lord, keep our steps as Your praises we sing.
Refrain vv. 23-26
Rise up, awake, O Lord! Hide not Your face from us,
see our affliction, our suffering and pain!
See how our soul is sunk down with oppression;
Rise up and help and redeem us we pray!

T. M. and Susie Moore

You can listen to our summary of last week’s study by clicking here.

See Jesus
Jesus is as much of God as we will ever see, and Paul tells us we can see the glory of God in His face (2 Cor. 4.6). Our 28-day devotional guide, Be Thou My Vision, uses excerpts from Scripture and the writers of the Celtic Revival (ca. 430-800 AD) to flesh out our vision of the greatness of God. Order your free copy by clicking here.

If you find Scriptorium helpful in your walk with the Lord, please seek the Lord, asking Him whether you should contribute to the support of this daily ministry with your financial gifts. As the Lord leads, you can use the Contribute button at the website to give with a credit card or through PayPal, or you can send your gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, 360 Zephyr Road, Williston, VT 05495.

Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For sources of all quotations, see the weekly PDF of this study. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter (Williston: Waxed Tablet Publications, 2006), available by clicking here.