Psalm 44:26

All scripture is New Living Translation copied from Bible Gateway.

I love to read the Old Testament. Many would say that it’s boring, confusing, and out-of-touch with modern society, but those things aren’t true. Okay, some books are bit tedious. However when the Old Testament is read through the lens of the New Testament, it becomes a beautiful and exciting foreshadowing of Christ.

In Psalm 44, the choir director begs for God’s help. The author details abuse and slaughter Israel suffers (vs. 10,11). The psalmist reminds God of times He’s rescued Israel in the past while questioning why God doesn’t step in now (vs. 1-3). Verse 25 describes the depths of Israel’s distress:

“We collapse in the dust, lying face down in the dirt.”

Let’s pause here for a moment. Contextually and literally this psalm describes a nation under attack. But what if we look at it through a New Testament lens? The psalm is a fairly good description of a person lost to sin. Does not sin plunder all we hold dear, scattering us from those we love? Without redemption, are we not utterly bereft and “lying face down in the dirt?” With that thought in mind, let’s look at the last verse:

“Rise up! Help us! Ransom us because of your unfailing love.”

When viewing this verse through the New Testament, we see a promise fulfilled, a nation rescued, and the only solution to our sin problem.

Jesus rose up from the grave on the third day. His resurrection helped in our distress by ransoming us from our own destruction. As it says in Mark 10:45, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

This verse written hundreds of years before the resurrection points to Jesus, the fulfillment of God’s plan for salvation. This verse written millennia before I read it last week still points me to the wonder of the cross. This psalm, which dealt with the sorrow of people long gone, gives me hope. Despite my struggles, this verse reminds me that God keeps his promises, and He comes to my aid. All of God’s word, even the supposedly out-of-touch parts, speak of His glory, righteousness, and eternal truth.

Read the Psalm 44 here in Bible Gateway.