Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
back to:
Psalms
Book: Psalms
Chapter: 44
Overview:
A petition for succour and relief.
1-8 Former experiences of
God's power and
Goodness are strong
supports to
Faith, and powerful pleas in
Prayer under present
calamities. The many victories
Israel obtained, were not
By
their own strength or merit, but
By God's favour and free
Grace.
The less praise this allows us, the more comfort it affords,
that we may see all as coming from the favour of
God. He fought
for
Israel, else they had fought in vain. This is applicable to
the planting of the
Christian Church in the world, which was not
By any human policy or power.
Christ,
By his
Spirit, went forth
conquering and to conquer; and he that planted a
Church for
himself in the world, will support it
By the same power and
Goodness. They trusted and triumphed in and through him. Let him
that glories,
Glory in the
Lord. But if they have the comfort of
his name, let them give unto him the
Glory due unto it.
9-16 The believer must have times of
Temptation, affliction,
and discouragement; the
Church must have
Seasons of
Persecution.
At such times the people of
God will be ready to fear that he
has cast them off, and that his name and
Truth will be
dishonoured. But they should look above the instruments of their
trouble, to
God,
Well knowing that their worst enemies have
No
power against them, but what is permitted from above.
17-26 In
Afflictions, we must not seek relief
By any sinful
compliance; but should continually meditate
On the
Truth,
purity, and knowledge of our
Heart-searching
God.
Heart sins
and secret sins are known to
God, and must be reckoned for. He
knows the secret of the
Heart, therefore
Judges of the words and
actions. While our troubles do not drive us from our duty to
God, we should not suffer them to drive us from our comfort in
God. Let us take care that prosperity and ease do not render us
careless and lukewarm. The
Church of
God cannot be prevailed
On
By Persecution to forget
God; the believer's
Heart does not turn
back from
God. The
Spirit of
Prophecy had reference to those who
suffered unto
Death, for the
Testimony of
Christ. Observe the
pleas used, ver. 25,26. Not their own merit and
Righteousness,
but the
Poor sinner's pleas. None that belong to
Christ shall be
cast off, but every one of them shall be saved, and that for
ever. The
Mercy of
God, purchased, promised, and constantly
flowing forth, and offered to believers, does away every doubt
arising from our sins; while we pray in
Faith, Redeem us for thy
mercies' sake.