Psalm 44 2

Psalm 44:2 kjv

How thou didst drive out the heathen with thy hand, and plantedst them; how thou didst afflict the people, and cast them out.

Psalm 44:2 nkjv

You drove out the nations with Your hand, But them You planted; You afflicted the peoples, and cast them out.

Psalm 44:2 niv

With your hand you drove out the nations and planted our ancestors; you crushed the peoples and made our ancestors flourish.

Psalm 44:2 esv

you with your own hand drove out the nations, but them you planted; you afflicted the peoples, but them you set free;

Psalm 44:2 nlt

You drove out the pagan nations by your power
and gave all the land to our ancestors.
You crushed their enemies
and set our ancestors free.

Psalm 44 verses

Psalm 44 2 Meaning

Psalm 44:2 profoundly articulates God's singular and decisive role in establishing the nation of Israel in the land of Canaan. It declares that God, through His direct, mighty power and authority ("with your hand"), forcefully dispossessed the indigenous nations dwelling there. In their place, He lovingly and firmly planted the people of Israel, ensuring their secure habitation. Simultaneously, God afflicted and brought about the breaking of these prior peoples, while causing Israel to spread and flourish throughout the land. This verse highlights divine sovereignty in both judgment and provision.

Psalm 44 2 Context

Psalm 44 is a profound communal lament from the Sons of Korah, depicting a people suffering intense national adversity and military defeat. Verse 2 functions as the opening statement of the psalm's historical prologue (vv. 1-8). This section recalls God's mighty acts of deliverance in the past, establishing the theological premise for the psalmists' present appeal. By reminding God of His historical faithfulness in conquering Canaan and settling Israel, they contrast His glorious past deeds with their current distress, thereby strengthening their plea for Him to intervene again. The historical context roots the psalm in Israel's foundational narrative: the Exodus from Egypt and the subsequent conquest and settlement of the Promised Land under Joshua, emphasizing that their inheritance was a divine gift and achievement, not a result of their own strength.

Psalm 44 2 Word analysis

• You (אֶתָּה, 'attah): Singular pronoun, directly addressing God, emphasizing His unique and exclusive agency in these actions. It points to divine personality and intention.

• with your hand (בְּיָדְךָ, bəyāḏəḵā): A potent Hebrew idiom symbolizing God's active, direct, and powerful intervention. It denotes divine strength and executive action, showing that His power was not delegated but personally exerted.

• drove out (גָּרַשְׁתָּ, gāraš-tā): From gārash, meaning to violently expel, dispossess, or banish. This describes a forceful and decisive removal of the previous inhabitants of the land, indicative of divine judgment and conquest.

• the nations (גּוֹיִם, gôyim): Refers to the non-Israelite, typically polytheistic, peoples dwelling in Canaan. This term highlights the distinct identity of these groups whom God displaced for His chosen people.

• but them you planted (וַתִּטַּעֵם, wa-tiṭṭā‘ēm): From nāṭaʿ, meaning to plant firmly, establish, or settle securely. This vivid agricultural imagery illustrates God's tender care and deliberate purpose in settling Israel, ensuring their rootedness and secure presence in the land.

• you afflicted (תְרַע לְאֻמִּים, təra‘ lə’ummîm): From ra'a (in the Hip'il or causative stem), meaning to break, shatter, harm, or crush. This indicates God's devastating impact upon the native populations, leading to their disempowerment and ruin.

• the peoples (לְאֻמִּים, lə’ummîm): A poetic variant often synonymous with gôyim, again referring to the diverse groups inhabiting Canaan. Its use reinforces the totality of God's action against the land's previous residents.

• but them you spread abroad (וַתְּשַׁלְּחֵם, wa-təšallaḥēm): From shālaḥ, here conveying the idea of allowing to spread out, expand, or disperse widely. This suggests God enabled Israel's population and influence to proliferate throughout the territory He had given them, granting them comprehensive occupancy.

• Words-group analysis:

  • "You with your hand drove out the nations, but them you planted": This segment highlights God's active and dual sovereignty: a judgmental hand that dispossesses one people and a nurturing hand that establishes another. It powerfully contrasts destruction with creation, emphasizing God's complete control over national destinies. This is a foundational assertion that Israel's possession of the land was by divine decree and power, not military prowess.
  • "you afflicted the peoples, but them you spread abroad": This reinforces the dual action of God, where the defeat and weakening of the existing populations (afflicted) are directly linked to the secure and expansive establishment of Israel (spread abroad). It showcases a divine causality, where the displacement of one facilitates the flourishing of another, cementing God's exclusive claim as the source of Israel's national prosperity and territorial dominion.

Psalm 44 2 Commentary

Psalm 44:2 is a concise, yet powerful, declaration of divine agency in Israel's foundational history. It emphatically states that Israel's settlement in Canaan was a direct act of God's hand, dismantling any notion of human might or external factors being the primary cause. God initiated, executed, and completed the transfer of the land—forcefully removing the prior nations through His judgment, and firmly establishing His chosen people through His grace. This establishes a theological premise that their very existence in the land is a testament to God's past faithfulness and covenant promises. It sets the stage for the psalmists' desperate plea by grounding their current expectation of deliverance in a historically undeniable act of God's power, highlighting His constant ability to work for His people's good.

• Practical usage: When faced with seemingly overwhelming obstacles, one can draw strength from remembering God's mighty past actions in His people's history, whether from the Bible or personal experience. Just as God cleared paths and established His people then, He can continue to intervene powerfully in present circumstances, reminding us that our trust should always be placed in His active hand, not our own capabilities.

Bonus SectionThe dual actions of "drove out" (violent expulsion) and "planted" (nurturing establishment) showcase God's comprehensive control and dual nature as both a mighty warrior (judge of nations) and a loving covenant-keeper (cultivator of His people). This also serves as a strong polemic against the polytheistic beliefs of surrounding nations, who often attributed success or failure to their localized deities. The Psalmist explicitly credits Yahweh alone, undermining any confidence in human military strength (Ps 44:3) or the supposed power of idols. The agricultural metaphor of "planting" found here and elsewhere (e.g., Exod 15:17, Jer 24:6, Amos 9:15) implies permanence and secure rootedness, demonstrating God's long-term plan and unwavering commitment to His people's welfare within the promised heritage. This divine proprietorship of the land, earned through conquest and cultivation by God, is a recurring biblical theme.