Psalm 44 24

Psalm 44:24 kjv

Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and forgettest our affliction and our oppression?

Psalm 44:24 nkjv

Why do You hide Your face, And forget our affliction and our oppression?

Psalm 44:24 niv

Why do you hide your face and forget our misery and oppression?

Psalm 44:24 esv

Why do you hide your face? Why do you forget our affliction and oppression?

Psalm 44:24 nlt

Why do you look the other way?
Why do you ignore our suffering and oppression?

Psalm 44 verses

Psalm 44 24 Meaning

Psalm 44:24 is a profound and poignant question posed directly to God from a community experiencing deep suffering and humiliation, yet maintaining their faithfulness. It expresses the anguish and theological perplexity of people who feel abandoned and overlooked by their God despite their declared loyalty and adherence to His covenant. The verse queries why God seems to withdraw His benevolent presence and active intervention ("hide your face") and appears oblivious to their dire state ("forget our affliction and oppression"), urging Him to acknowledge and alleviate their intense hardship.

Psalm 44 24 Context

Psalm 44 is a communal lament (a type of psalm expressing sorrow and an appeal to God from a group). The first part (verses 1-8) recalls God's glorious past deeds in delivering Israel, asserting that it was by God's power, not their own strength, that they gained victory. The psalmists express their current trust in God.

However, a dramatic shift occurs from verse 9 onward. The community then vividly describes their present dire situation: they have been defeated, put to shame, plundered, scattered, sold cheaply, and are suffering mockery among nations. This suffering is not presented as a result of their sin; crucially, in verses 17-22, the community boldly declares their innocence of covenant infidelity. They assert that they have "not forgotten You, nor have we been false to Your covenant," and have endured this "for Your sake."

Therefore, Psalm 44:24 arises from this profound theological dilemma: why is God allowing such suffering, even abandonment, for a people who affirm their covenant faithfulness? It is a bold cry of perplexity and indignation, not from apostasy, but from deep, suffering faith. They question God’s apparent inaction given their distress and their own obedience, concluding the psalm with a fervent plea for God to "rise up and help us" (v. 26). The historical context is not explicitly stated but implies a severe national crisis, perhaps military defeat or prolonged oppression, experienced by a generation who still believe in the covenant and God's power.

Psalm 44 24 Word analysis

• "Why" (לָמָּה, lammah): This interrogative particle expresses strong lament, perplexity, anguish, and an urgent demand for explanation. It is not a question rooted in disbelief, but rather in a profound bewilderment arising from a place of faith. The community believes in God and His covenant, which makes His apparent inactivity even more perplexing. It indicates a deep theological struggle.

• "do you hide your face?" (תַסְתִּיר פָּנֶיךָ, tastīr pānēyka):

  • תַסְתִּיר (tastīr): A Hiphil imperfect form of סָתַר (sātar), meaning "to hide, conceal." The Hiphil indicates causative action – "You cause to hide."
  • פָּנֶיךָ (pānēyka): "Your face." In biblical thought, "face" represents presence, attention, favor, and direct involvement. To "hide one's face" is a vivid idiom for withdrawing presence, favor, protection, and blessing. It implies abandonment, indifference, or a refusal to acknowledge and respond to a plea. This contrasts sharply with God "making His face shine" (Num 6:25-26), which signifies divine blessing and active favor. The community perceives God's present non-intervention as an act of hiding His benevolent face from them.

• "Why do you forget" (תִשְׁכַּח, tishkach):

  • תִשְׁכַּח (tishkach): Imperfect form of שָׁכַח (shakhach), "to forget." From the human perspective of the sufferers, God seems to have "forgotten" them. This is an anthropomorphism, as God, by His nature, does not literally forget (Isa 49:15-16). Rather, it signifies His apparent inaction or delay in intervention, leading the community to feel that their suffering is unacknowledged and their plight unremembered, seemingly breaching His covenant obligations.

• "our affliction" (עָנְיֵנוּ, 'onyenu):

  • עָנְיֵנוּ ('onyenu): "Our affliction, distress, misery, humble state." From the root עָנָה ('anah), which denotes a state of being bent down, oppressed, or suffering. It encompasses both physical hardship and emotional anguish.

• "and oppression" (וְלַחֲצֵנוּ, w'lachatzenu):

  • וְלַחֲצֵנוּ (w'lachatzenu): "And our oppression, distress, pressure, hardship." From the root לָחַץ (lachatz), meaning "to press, squeeze, oppress." It speaks of suffering inflicted by external forces, perhaps enemies, causing severe distress and confinement. The coupling of "affliction" and "oppression" emphasizes the comprehensive nature of their distress, both internal and external.

• Words-group analysis:

  • "Why do you hide your face? Why do you forget...": The repeated "Why" ("Lammah") highlights the profound bewilderment and earnest plea of the community. The rhetorical questions underscore their inability to reconcile their current suffering with their understanding of God's covenant faithfulness and past interventions. They are challenging God, but within the bounds of a covenant relationship, seeking an explanation or, more precisely, an action.
  • "hide your face...forget our affliction and oppression": This pairing of phrases powerfully conveys a sense of divine abandonment. God's withdrawal (hiding face) is linked directly to His perceived lack of memory or indifference towards their tangible suffering (affliction and oppression). It's a holistic appeal covering God's presence and His active care.

Psalm 44 24 Bonus section

• The bold, almost accusatory tone of Psalm 44:24 is not a sign of disbelief, but rather an indicator of the deep intimacy of the relationship between Israel and God. Only within a covenant where promises and expectations have been established can such direct questions be legitimately posed. It reflects the wrestling of a committed faith, seeking coherence between divine promise and current reality.
• This verse contributes significantly to the biblical theology of suffering, particularly suffering that is not directly attributable to immediate sin. It acknowledges that sometimes God's ways are inscrutable from a human perspective, yet still permits faithful complaint and earnest pleading.
• The communal nature of this lament is vital: it is "our affliction," "our oppression." The people suffer together, and together they challenge God, fostering solidarity in crisis and shared expression of their deepest spiritual needs. This models corporate prayer and intercession during times of widespread distress.

Psalm 44 24 Commentary

Psalm 44:24 represents the apex of a faithful community's agonizing cry in the midst of unexplainable suffering. Unlike many laments where sin is acknowledged as the cause, here the psalmists explicitly deny turning from God or His covenant. Their questions "Why do you hide your face? Why do you forget our affliction and oppression?" are not born of doubt in God's existence or power, but out of a deep perplexity over His current actions or lack thereof. They appeal to God's own character and covenant faithfulness.

The perceived "hiding of face" speaks to a sense of profound spiritual abandonment and withdrawal of divine favor, as if God has turned away His protective and benevolent gaze. This feeling of abandonment is compounded by the belief that God has "forgotten" their affliction and oppression—a human way of expressing God's apparent non-response to their intense and desperate plight. This raw, honest questioning of God's seemingly inexplicable inaction demonstrates that genuine faith can embrace deep lament and theological tension without dissolving into despair or cynicism. It models for believers how to bring their most challenging questions and the pain of corporate or personal suffering directly to God, resting on the conviction that He is indeed present and capable of intervention. The plea is, ultimately, an appeal for God to rise and deliver for the sake of His own glory and covenant faithfulness, as articulated in the final verses of the psalm.