Psalm 44:22 kjv
Yea, for thy sake are we killed all the day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter.
Psalm 44:22 nkjv
Yet for Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
Psalm 44:22 niv
Yet for your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.
Psalm 44:22 esv
Yet for your sake we are killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.
Psalm 44:22 nlt
But for your sake we are killed every day;
we are being slaughtered like sheep.
Psalm 44 22 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Rom 8:36 | As it is written, “For Your sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” | Directly quotes Ps 44:22, applies to New Testament believers' suffering. |
| Matt 5:10 | Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. | Suffering for loyalty to God or His truth brings blessing. |
| Matt 5:11 | Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on My account. | Enduring reproach and persecution for Christ’s name. |
| Matt 10:22 | You will be hated by all for My name’s sake. | Foretells persecution of disciples for identifying with Christ. |
| 2 Cor 4:10 | always carrying in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. | Sharing in Christ's sufferings for the sake of the Gospel. |
| 2 Cor 4:11 | For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. | Believers continually face danger and death for Jesus. |
| Phil 1:29 | For to you it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him but also to suffer for His sake, | Suffering is a divine gift and privilege for believers. |
| Col 1:24 | Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, | Paul embraces suffering for the church’s benefit, linked to Christ’s afflictions. |
| 1 Pet 2:20 | For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten, you endure it? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. | Suffering for doing good is pleasing to God. |
| 1 Pet 3:14 | But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, | Assurance of blessing for righteous suffering. |
| 1 Pet 4:14 | If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. | Insult and suffering for Christ bring divine blessing. |
| Rev 6:9 | When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne. | Martyrs slain for their faithful witness. |
| Ps 23:4 | Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. | Imagery of sheep under a shepherd's care, contrasting Ps 44:22’s dire state. |
| Isa 53:7 | He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth. | Prophetic imagery of Christ as a silent lamb led to slaughter for others. |
| Jer 11:19 | But I was like a gentle lamb led to the slaughter. I did not know it was against me they devised schemes... | Jeremiah’s personal lament, likening himself to a helpless lamb destined for sacrifice. |
| Dan 3:16-18 | O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.” | Exemplifies unwavering faith despite facing certain death. |
| Heb 11:37 | They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, afflicted, mistreated | Examples of martyrs in faith, enduring extreme suffering. |
| Ps 79:2-3 | They have given the bodies of your servants as food for the birds of the heavens, the flesh of your faithful ones to the beasts of the earth. They have poured out their blood like water around Jerusalem, and there was no one to bury them. | A communal lament detailing the ruthless slaughter of God's people. |
| John 15:20 | If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. | Christ's warning to disciples that suffering awaits those who follow Him. |
| 1 John 3:13 | Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you. | Acknowledges the world's inherent hatred for believers, leading to persecution. |
Psalm 44 verses
Psalm 44 22 Meaning
Psalm 44:22 expresses the profound suffering of God's people, stating that they face constant death and are perceived as helpless animals destined for slaughter. The key emphasis is that this intense suffering is endured "for Your sake," highlighting their steadfast covenant faithfulness, not punishment for sin. It reflects a communal lament where the people affirm their loyalty to God despite inexplicable national calamity and persecution.
Psalm 44 22 Context
Psalm 44 is a communal lament in which the people of Israel cry out to God from a position of national defeat and suffering. Uniquely among laments, it makes no confession of sin as the cause of their distress. Instead, the psalm explicitly denies any deviation from the covenant, recounting God's past victories (vv. 1-8) and affirming their steadfast loyalty and worship of Him (vv. 9-22). The community states that their present humiliation (defeat, dispersion, ridicule) is undeserved and incomprehensible given their faithfulness. Verse 22 acts as a climax of this bewilderment, contrasting their perfect fidelity with their extreme persecution, which they understand as happening "for God's sake" because of their identity as His people. It sets up the fervent plea for divine intervention that follows.
Psalm 44 22 Word analysis
- For: כִּי (ki) - This conjunction often introduces a reason, cause, or explanation. Here, it precedes the profound reason for their suffering: it is not for their iniquity, but because of their relationship with God.
- Your sake: לְמַעֲנֶיךָ (lĕma‘aneyka) - Derived from the root יַעַן (ya‘an), meaning "because of," "for the sake of." The suffix refers to the second person masculine singular, "Your." This phrase is crucial; it explicitly attributes their suffering to their loyalty to God, transforming mere misfortune into purposeful persecution rooted in their divine allegiance. It highlights a persecution of identity.
- we are killed: נִהֲרַגְנוּ (niharagnu) - A Niphal (passive) perfect form of the verb הָרַג (harag), meaning "to slay," "kill," "murder." The Niphal indicates they are the passive recipients of this action. The perfect tense here implies a continuing state or repeated occurrence rather than a single event, meaning they are "continually being killed" or "faced with death." It signifies not just occasional death but an atmosphere of ongoing mortal threat.
- all the day: כָּל־הַיּוֹם (kol-hayyom) - A temporal phrase meaning "all day long," "continually," "every day." It intensifies the notion of "we are killed," emphasizing the ceaseless and pervasive nature of their persecution. It's not a temporary affliction but an enduring reality.
- we are considered: נֶחְשַׁבְנוּ (neḥshaḇnu) - A Niphal (passive) perfect form of the verb חָשַׁב (chashav), meaning "to count," "reckon," "consider." Like "we are killed," the Niphal indicates a passive reception – they are accounted, esteemed, or perceived as such by an external entity (perhaps their enemies or the world). It's a statement about how they are valued, or rather devalued, in the eyes of others.
- as sheep: כַּצֹּאן (kaṣṣōn) - The prefix כְּ (ka) means "as" or "like." צֹאן (tsōn) means "flock" or "sheep." Sheep in biblical imagery are often depicted as vulnerable, defenseless, easily led, and subject to their master's will or external danger. This simile evokes a sense of helplessness and inevitable fate.
- to be slaughtered: טִבְחָה (ṭiḇḥāh) - A noun meaning "slaughter," "carnage," "killing." It derives from the verb טָבַח (ṭabach), "to slaughter (an animal)." This word carries connotations of deliberate, violent killing, often for food or sacrifice. It underscores the ultimate, violent end perceived for the "sheep"—a fatal purpose.
- "For Your sake we are killed all the day": This phrase asserts the very reason for their suffering: their covenant fidelity. Their persecution is a direct consequence of being identified with Yahweh. The "all the day" underscores the relentless, continuous, and oppressive nature of this death-dealing reality.
- "we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered": This chilling metaphor describes their perceived status and impending fate. It speaks to their utter helplessness, defenselessness, and the merciless intent of their persecutors. Like sheep led to the killing floor, they see themselves without agency, destined for violent extermination. This imagery starkly contrasts with God as their Shepherd (Ps 23) and highlights the deep paradox and lament in their current experience.
Psalm 44 22 Bonus section
This verse found its ultimate theological application in the New Testament, notably by Paul in Romans 8:36. Paul quotes Psalm 44:22 to describe the ongoing reality of suffering for believers in Christ, demonstrating that unmerited affliction "for Your sake" did not cease with ancient Israel but continues to be the experience of God's faithful in the new covenant. This highlights the eschatological tension of the Christian life: though victory in Christ is assured, present suffering and persecution are also part of the path, validating their identification with Him. This deep resonance showcases the prophetic and timeless nature of the psalmists' cries.
Psalm 44 22 Commentary
Psalm 44:22 is a poignant and startling declaration from a community that experiences deep and continuous suffering, not as a consequence of their sin, but paradoxically, as a result of their steadfast devotion to God. This verse embodies the raw bewilderment of the faithful when their theological understanding of divine favor (for covenant loyalty) is brutally contradicted by their lived experience of relentless persecution. It frames their predicament in terms of being ceaselessly facing death and perceived by their adversaries as utterly expendable, like sheep designated for slaughter. The verse functions as the emotional crescendo of the communal lament, preparing the way for a desperate cry for God's awakening and intervention, underscoring the severe test of faith endured when obedience seems to lead only to increased suffering.