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Psalm 44:10
You make us turn back from the adversary. Those who hate us take plunder for themselves.
8In God we have made our boast all day long. We will give thanks to your name forever. Selah.
9But now you rejected us, and brought us to dishonor, and don’t go out with our armies.
10You make us turn back from the adversary. Those who hate us take plunder for themselves.
11You have made us like sheep for food, and have scattered us among the nations.
12You sell your people for nothing, and have gained nothing from their sale.
Notice
Retreat and plunder make this a prayer of public defeat, with the hard claim that God has made his people turn back before those who hate them.
Questions to write on. Each one opens a new entry with this verse already attached.
What feels hardest to say to God in the words, “You make us turn back from the adversary”?
Write on thisWhat loss in your community needs to be named before God without a quick explanation?
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Where else Scripture says this
12 passages readers most often link with this verse, and the thread each one shares with it.
This verse's connections, by chapterThe Bible's strongest chapter linksHover or tap a book to trace it
Joshua 7:8Oh, Lord, what shall I say, after Israel has turned their backs before their enemies?Both prayers address God over Israel’s retreat before enemies, bringing the shame of defeat into speech before him.
Leviticus 26:17I will set my face against you, and you will be struck before your enemies. Those who hate you will rule over you; and you will flee when no one pursues you.Both texts connect defeat before enemies with God’s action and describe his people exposed to those who hate them.
Joshua 7:12Therefore the children of Israel can’t stand before their enemies. They turn their backs before their enemies, because they have become devoted for …Both describe Israel turning back before enemies; Joshua names a cause for the defeat that this psalm verse does not state.
Psalm 89:41All who pass by the way rob him. He has become a reproach to his neighbors.Both laments describe people being robbed, with hostile plunder in Psalm 44 and robbery joined to reproach in Psalm 89.
1 Kings 8:33“When your people Israel are struck down before the enemy because they have sinned against you, if they turn again to you and confess your name, and pray and …Both concern Israel’s defeat before enemies; Kings names sin and repentance, while this psalm verse voices the loss without explaining its cause.
Psalm 21:12For you will make them turn their back, when you aim drawn bows at their face.Both attribute retreat to God’s action, though Psalm 44 describes his people retreating and Psalm 21 describes their opponents retreating.
Isaiah 10:6I will send him against a profane nation, and against the people who anger me I will give him a command to take the plunder and to take the prey, and to tread …Both connect military loss and plunder with God’s action; Isaiah names the people’s offense, while this psalm verse does not.
Deuteronomy 28:25The LORD will cause you to be struck before your enemies. You will go out one way against them, and will flee seven ways before them. You will be tossed back …Both describe God causing his people to suffer defeat and flee before their enemies.
2 Chronicles 6:24“If your people Israel are struck down before the enemy because they have sinned against you, and they turn again and confess your name, and pray and make …Both concern God’s people defeated before enemies; Chronicles names sin and prayer for return, while the psalm voices defeat and plunder.
1 Samuel 4:17He who brought the news answered, “Israel has fled before the Philistines, and there has been also a great slaughter among the people. Your two sons also, …Both describe Israel fleeing before enemies and losing possessions to them, with Samuel naming the capture of God’s ark.
Isaiah 10:14My hand has found the riches of the peoples like a nest, and like one gathers eggs that are abandoned, I have gathered all the earth. There was no one who …Both describe conquerors taking others’ wealth, though the psalm speaks from the victims’ side and Isaiah records the conqueror’s boast.
1 Samuel 31:1–7Now the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain on Mount Gilboa.Both describe Israel retreating before an enemy; Samuel names the Philistines and records deaths on Mount Gilboa.
Where this verse fits
Feeling distant from God. injustice and anger. doubt.
One step
Something small to carry out of this verse
Encouragement
There is room in prayer to name defeat without resolving its cause. These people speak to God while their enemies take plunder; their complaint remains addressed to him.
Now put it in your words.
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Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY). Scripture from the World English Bible (public domain). Arc diagram after Chris Harrison and Christoph Römhild (2007).