Adversity is never easy to bear, but what makes it worse is feeling that God has brought it on (v. 4). What makes it unbearable is the utter disappointment of what were believed to be legitimate expectations from God. As one turns to prayer, God becomes both the problem and its solution.

Psalm 44 is a prayer psalm lamenting a battle defeat. The people have been killed, despoiled, and dispersed (esp. vv. 10–11, 19, 22). The survivors feel humiliated (vv. 13–16) and downcast (v. 25). The psalm contains no historical or geographical allusions that point to a particular defeat known from the historical books of the OT, but Sennacherib’s invasion in 701 B.C. during Hezekiah’s reign (2 Kgs. 18:13–19:37) or the death of Josiah in battle with Pharaoh Neco in 609 B.C. (2 Kgs. 23:29–30) are likely c…