We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, what work thou didst in their days, in the times of old.
Psalms 44:1-26.-The Church's prayer for help against pagan foes. She reminds Him of His past benefits, in driving the pagan out before His people (Psalms 44:1-3); her confidence that God her King, and her boast, will again enable her to triumph (Psalms 44:4-8); sad contrast of her present low state (Psalms 44:9-16); there is no reason that this contrast should last, because the people have not forgotten God's covenant (Psalms 44:17-22); she therefore prays God to awake to her help (Psalms 44:23-26). Psalms 60:1-12 is close akin to this psalm; as Psalms 63:1-11 is to Psalms 42:1-11; Psalms 40:1-17, title, shows that David was now striving with 'Aram of the two floods (Naharaim) and Aram-zobah, when Joab returned and smote of Edom in the valley of salt 12,000 men.' Whilst David was warring with Arabia, and on the Euphrates with the Syrians, and had suffered a heavy loss in battle, Edom invaded Israel's land, stripped of its defenders. Compare 2 Samuel 8:13; 1 Chronicles 18:12; 1 Kings 11:15-16. Israel's slain lay unburied until Joab returned from smiting Edom, along with Abishai. The scattering of Israel among the pagan (Psalms 44:11) was but partial, enough to gratify Edom's desire to falsify the prophecy, "The older shall serve the younger" (1 Kings 8:46; Amos 1:6; Amos 1:9; Joel 3:19). The time of the Babylonian captivity is disproved by Psalms 44:17-22; because only under David could Israel plead faithfulness to God's covenant. They had no "armies" in the Babylonian which they speak of in Psalms 44:9. The Holy Spirit, however, indites language (as Psalms 44:22) suited to the Church when oppressed by the world in all later ages.
We have heard with our ears, O God ... what work thou didst in their days - in sad contrast to the work of Israel's desolation which we now see with our eyes (cf. Psalms 48:8). God's past "work" of driving out the pagan from Canaan before His people makes His present non-interposition, while the pagan drive out Israelites, to appear an anomaly. This forms the ground of prayer that He will again do as in the days of old. Compare the similar plea of Gideon (Judges 6:13; 2 Chronicles 20:7; Habakkuk 3:2).
Our fathers have told us - (Exodus 10:2.)
In the times of old - in contrast to our times of national depression.