Psalm 44 11

Psalm 44:11 kjv

Thou hast given us like sheep appointed for meat; and hast scattered us among the heathen.

Psalm 44:11 nkjv

You have given us up like sheep intended for food, And have scattered us among the nations.

Psalm 44:11 niv

You gave us up to be devoured like sheep and have scattered us among the nations.

Psalm 44:11 esv

You have made us like sheep for slaughter and have scattered us among the nations.

Psalm 44:11 nlt

You have butchered us like sheep
and scattered us among the nations.

Psalm 44 verses

Psalm 44 11 Meaning

Psalm 44:11 expresses a deep lament by God's people, conveying their profound sense of abandonment and severe suffering at the hand of their enemies. They perceive that God Himself has actively delivered them over to destruction, likening themselves to helpless sheep destined for slaughter. Furthermore, they lament being dispersed and exiled among foreign nations, stripped of their unity and homeland, thereby highlighting their complete vulnerability and national humiliation.

Psalm 44 11 Context

Psalm 44 is a communal lament, spoken by the people of God during a period of intense national suffering, defeat, and humiliation. Unlike many lament psalms where suffering is linked to sin, this psalm paradoxically insists on the community's faithfulness to the covenant, denying any turning away from God or embracing idols (vv. 17-22). The early verses recall God's mighty acts in delivering Israel in the past (vv. 1-8). However, the situation has dramatically reversed; God seems to have rejected them, abandoned them in battle, allowed their armies to be routed, and their land and people plundered (vv. 9-10). Verse 11 escalates this lament, directly attributing their current plight—being led like sheep to slaughter and scattered among Gentiles—to God's active decision, painting a picture of overwhelming despair and bewilderment in the face of perceived divine dereliction, despite their claimed righteousness.

Psalm 44 11 Word analysis

• You have given us up (נְתַתָּנוּ, nĕtattānu): This verb, from the Hebrew root נָתַן (nātan), means "to give," "to place," "to deliver," or "to set apart." Here, it conveys God's direct, active, and intentional role in handing them over to their enemies. It's not passive neglect, but an act of delivering or yielding them up, emphasizing the perceived severity and personal nature of the divine judgment. The psalmist feels a profound sense of betrayal from their covenant God.

• like sheep (כְּצֹאן, ketsōʾn): The word צֹאן (tsōʾn) refers to a flock, typically of sheep or goats. The simile highlights extreme vulnerability, defenselessness, and a predetermined fate. Sheep are dependent on a shepherd for protection; here, the divine Shepherd appears to be abandoning or even leading them to harm.

• for slaughter (מַאֲכָל, maʼăkhāl): This Hebrew word literally means "food" or "for eating/consumption." While contextually understood as "for slaughter," it carries the visceral implication of being viewed as mere sustenance or prey, destined to be devoured. This amplifies the horror and dehumanization felt by the community, implying a lack of worth or purpose beyond consumption by their foes.

• and have scattered us (וַתְּפוּצֵנוּ, vattəpūṣēnu): From the root פּוּץ (pûṣ), meaning "to break," "to disperse," or "to scatter." This term speaks of forced dispersion, the dissolution of unity, loss of national cohesion, and forced displacement from their homeland. It denotes a fundamental undoing of the community.

• among the nations (בַּגּוֹיִם, bagôyim): גוֹיִם (gôyim) refers to the Gentiles, foreign peoples, or non-Israelite nations. To be scattered "among the nations" means to lose their distinct identity and covenant separation, to be subjected to foreign rule, customs, and possibly idolatry. This was a prophesied consequence of covenant disobedience and represents profound national humiliation and exile, symbolizing their abject loss of their special status as God's chosen people in their own land.

• Words-group Analysis:

  • "You have given us up like sheep for slaughter": This phrase dramatically portrays the depth of their abandonment. It uses an image of utter helplessness (sheep) being led intentionally by God (you have given us up) to their demise (slaughter/food). This powerful metaphor evokes a sense of both the intentionality of God's actions and the complete lack of resistance possible from His people.
  • "and have scattered us among the nations": This second part complements the first by describing the consequences of their defeat beyond just death. It speaks to the dismantling of their national identity and their forced dispersion into exile. This physical separation and loss of home amplified their shame and suffering, placing them under foreign dominion, a profound inversion of their promised inheritance and blessings.

Psalm 44 11 Bonus section

• This verse encapsulates a paradox common in the Psalms: intense lament and perceived divine abandonment coexisting with an underlying, though strained, covenant faith. The psalmist questions God's actions without outright denying His existence or power.
• The New Testament, particularly Rom 8:36, recontextualizes the suffering expressed in Psalm 44 for believers in Christ. While Psalm 44 laments national physical calamity, Paul applies the "sheep for slaughter" motif to the ongoing persecution and martyrdom faced by Christians for their faith, transforming it into a testament of their triumph "through him who loved us."
• The "scattering among the nations" serves as a historical and theological motif throughout the Bible, signifying both judgment for covenant breaking and, paradoxically, a means through which God's people can be refined or become a light to other nations. For Israel, it was a painful reality; for the early church, it defined the geographical spread of the Gospel.

Psalm 44 11 Commentary

Psalm 44:11 is a stark and deeply felt lament where the people of God perceive themselves not merely defeated by enemies, but actively delivered into destruction and dispersion by their own God. The imagery of "sheep for slaughter" powerfully conveys their absolute vulnerability and the intentional nature of their demise from their perspective, likening themselves to defenseless animals destined for a gruesome end. The subsequent declaration of being "scattered among the nations" points to the painful reality of exile and loss of national identity, a state that defied their understanding of God's covenant loyalty. This verse reflects the bewildering experience of suffering when there's no apparent national sin to explain it (as the psalmists contend), pushing the boundaries of conventional theological understanding. It is a raw cry, born of faith wrestling with incomprehensible adversity, and forms the core of the psalm's desperate appeal for divine intervention. It serves as a reminder that profound spiritual distress can involve grappling with God's actions themselves.