Show Don't Tell: Psalm 44

Instead of saying "Israel questioned God after defeat," hear the accusation. "We have heard it with our ears, O God; our ancestors have told us what you did in their days, in days long ago. With your hand you drove out the nations and planted our ancestors; you crushed the peoples and made our ancestors flourish." History lesson—what God did before. "It was not by their sword that they won the land, nor did their arm bring them victory; it was your right hand, your arm, and the light of your face, for you loved them." Victory was gift, not achievement. But now: "Yet you have rejected and humiliated us; you no longer go out with our armies. You made us retreat before the enemy, and our adversaries have plundered us. You gave us up to be devoured like sheep and have scattered us among the nations." Sheep for slaughter. "You sold your people for a pittance, gaining nothing from their sale." Sold cheap. "You have made us a reproach to our neighbors, the scorn and derision of those around us. You have made us a byword among the nations; the peoples shake their heads at us." International humiliation. Then the protest: "All this came upon us, though we had not forgotten you; we had not been false to your covenant. Our hearts had not turned back; our feet had not strayed from your path." We didn't do anything wrong! "Yet for your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." Paul quotes this in Romans 8. "Awake, Lord! Why do you sleep? Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever... Rise up and help us; rescue us because of your unfailing love."