Psalm 44 12

Psalm 44:12 kjv

Thou sellest thy people for nought, and dost not increase thy wealth by their price.

Psalm 44:12 nkjv

You sell Your people for next to nothing, And are not enriched by selling them.

Psalm 44:12 niv

You sold your people for a pittance, gaining nothing from their sale.

Psalm 44:12 esv

You have sold your people for a trifle, demanding no high price for them.

Psalm 44:12 nlt

You sold your precious people for a pittance,
making nothing on the sale.

Psalm 44 verses

Psalm 44 12 Meaning

Psalm 44:12 expresses the profound bewilderment and lament of God's people who feel God has abandoned them, allowing them to be subjugated or dispersed like merchandise. The phrase "for no profit" emphasizes their perceived worthlessness in this divine "transaction" and their utter confusion, as there is no apparent gain or theological rationale for their suffering from God's perspective. It highlights a painful paradox where the Creator, who usually champions and benefits His people, now seems to dispose of them without any corresponding advantage for Himself, intensifying their sense of injustice and purposeless suffering.

Psalm 44 12 Context

Psalm 44 is a communal lament, spoken by the Israelites in a time of severe national defeat and humiliation. Verses 1-8 recall God's mighty deeds in the past, when He delivered His people and granted them victory through His power, not by their own strength or weaponry. This glorious past forms a sharp contrast with their present desperate situation. Beginning in verse 9, the psalmist laments that God seems to have rejected them, gone forth with their enemies, and allowed them to be conquered and scattered. Verse 12 specifically describes their perplexing state of being "sold" by God. The historical context could refer to the Babylonian exile, or any major defeat or period of subjugation where the nation experienced intense suffering despite, from their perspective, maintaining faithfulness (Ps 44:17-18). The "sale" imagery reflects the actual practice of conquering armies taking people as captives to be sold into slavery or tribute, but here it is attributed to God's mysterious action.

Psalm 44 12 Word analysis

• You sell (תִּמְכֹּר - timkōr): This verb means "to sell," "to betray," or "to give over." It's an anthropomorphism, expressing the human perception of God's action. In a marketplace, selling implies a transaction with profit. Here, the profound shock is that God, who has an intimate covenant relationship with His people, would act like a merchant, letting them go. It signifies perceived divine abandonment or divestment of His cherished possession.
• Your people (עַמְּךָ - ‘amməḵā): Emphasizes the deep covenant relationship. Israel is not just a nation; they are specifically God's people, chosen and redeemed. To "sell" them is a devastating act within this covenant framework, implying a fundamental breach or failure of divine protection.
• for no profit (בְּלֹא הוֹן - bəlō hōn): This phrase literally means "without wealth" or "without gain." This is the core of the psalmist’s complaint. If there were a gain for God (like satisfaction of justice, or fulfillment of a higher divine purpose that brought some clear divine benefit), the suffering might be understood. But the lack of profit makes their "sale" seem senseless, without divine purpose, adding to their bewilderment and the depth of their lament. It challenges simplistic theodicies.
• and You do not increase (וְלֹא הִרְבֵּיתָ - vəlō hirbêtā): This phrase reiterates and emphasizes the preceding point. The Hebrew root for "increase" (rāḇāh) means to be or become many, great, or multiply. This repetition underscores that no divine asset, no wealth, no power, no glory has been accrued by God from their suffering. This absence of gain makes their plight seem particularly futile and cruel from the human perspective.
• Your wealth by their sale (מְחִירֵיהֶם - məḥîrêhem): This term can mean "their price," "their worth," or "the profit from them." It reinforces the commercial imagery. The psalmist denies that God's treasury or glory (His "wealth") has grown from allowing them to be "sold." It contrasts sharply with how conquering nations gained wealth from their defeated enemies, suggesting God, unlike earthly rulers, gained nothing tangible or spiritual from their defeat.
• Words-group Analysis: "You sell Your people for no profit": This phrase encapsulates the central paradox. It is an accusation (or rather, a desperate plea for understanding) that God has dealt with His covenant people in a way that suggests a disinterest, like a merchant offloading unwanted goods without care for financial gain, let alone relational investment. It reflects deep anguish and theological confusion, questioning the very basis of God's interaction with them.

Psalm 44 12 Bonus section

• Theodicy: This verse presents a strong challenge to the simplistic view of God's justice (theodicy) where all suffering is directly attributed to sin. The psalmist explicitly claims their continued faithfulness (Ps 44:17-18), pushing back against the easy assumption that their suffering must be due to hidden transgressions, thereby deepening the mystery of God's allowing their distress.
• Contrast with Pagan Deities: In the Ancient Near East, gods were often thought to gain wealth or glory through the spoils of their worshiper's victories or the subjugation of other nations. Psalm 44:12 stands in contrast by asserting that God gained nothing from Israel's humiliation, making their situation all the more baffling from a human and theological perspective, differentiating Yahweh from the deities of the surrounding cultures.
• A Call for Divine Intervention: Despite the strong language, this lament is a faithful cry, not a rejection of God. It's an appeal for God to acknowledge their plight and return to His characteristic actions of deliverance, reminding Him of His covenant obligations (Ps 44:23-26). It's a wrestle with God in faith, rather than an abandonment of faith.

Psalm 44 12 Commentary

Psalm 44:12 articulates the deep theological crisis faced by Israel. It is not an accusation of God literally engaging in commerce, but a powerful poetic expression of felt abandonment and bewildering defeat. The psalmist sees God acting in a way that contravenes the covenant – "selling" His cherished people. The crucial and agonizing addition, "for no profit," highlights the perceived meaninglessness of their suffering. From a human viewpoint, if suffering serves a divine purpose or brings God some glory, it might be bearable. But to be sold "for nothing" implies a complete lack of divine care, purpose, or advantage in their humiliation, leaving the faithful community utterly bewildered and without theological recourse in their distress. It stands as a profound lament against suffering that seems utterly gratuitous from God's side, challenging Him to explain His mysterious actions or inaction.