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Psalms 44:23

Awake, why sleepest thou, O Lord? arise, cast us not off for ever.

Fifth strophe. Psalms 44:23.-Prayer that God would arise for His people's help.

Awake, why sleepest thou, O Lord? The answer is given, Psalms 121:4. Compare also Matthew 8:25. The "for ever" here is emphatic. In Psalms 44:9 the Church had said, "thou hast cast off;" here she cries, though our shortcomings have brought on us temporary casting away, let it not be "for ever." The Church's prayer herein rests on God's promise in 1 Samuel 12:22. Compare Jeremiah 31:37; Romans 11:1.

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See also Psalms 44:23 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Psalms 44:23. _AWAKE, WHY SLEEPEST THOU, O LORD?_] That is, Why dost thou appear as one asleep, who is regardless of the safety of his friends. This is a _freedom of speech_ which can only be al...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    AWAKE, WHY SLEEPEST THOU? - This is a solemn and earnest appeal to God to interpose in their behalf, as if he were “asleep,” or were regardless of their sufferings. Compare Psalms 3:7, note; Psalms 7:...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    Psalms 44 The Increased Cry for Deliverance _ 1. My King, O God! Command deliverances (Psalms 44:1)_ 2. Trouble upon trouble and confusion (Psalms 44:9) 3. Awake! Arise for our help! ...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    XLIV. A NATIONAL PRAYER IN UNMERITED DISTRESS. The Ps. evidently depicts the situation of Israel under Antiochus Epiphanes [but see OTJC 2, pp. 207f., 437- 440. A. S. P.] So much was plain long ago to...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _Awake … arise_ Bestir thyself … awake. Cp. Psalms 7:6, and many similar invocations. But nowhere else do we find so bold an expostulation as _why sleepest thou_? The nearest parallel is in Psalms 78:...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    An urgent appeal for immediate help....

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    PSALMS 44 DESCRIPTIVE TITLE Israel Suffers for God. ANALYSIS Stanza I., Psalms 44:1-8, The Psalmist, Encouraging himself by Jehovah's Past Favour in Giving Israel their Land, Emboldens himself to E...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    This is a prayer for deliverance from national trouble which has not been deserved by any apostasy or idolatry. The strong assertions of national faithfulness are akin to the spirit of the Maccabean a...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    WHY SLEEPEST THOU?] an expression of startling boldness, yet the prayer of Psalms 44:26 shows that its daring springs not from unbelief but from faith....

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    PSALMS 42:72 _GORDON CHURCHYARD_ Words in boxes are from the Bible. Words marked with a *star are described in the word list at the end. The translated Bible text has yet to go through Advanced Che...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    _(_23_)_ WHY SLEEPEST. — Comp. Psalms 7:6, and see refs....

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    _[Psalms 44:24]_ ע֤וּרָה ׀ לָ֖מָּה תִישַׁ֥ן ׀ אֲדֹנָ֑י הָ֝קִ֗יצָה

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    Psalms 44:1 CALVIN says that the authorship of this psalm is uncertain, but that it is abundantly clear that it was composed by anyone rather than David, and that its plaintive contents suit best the...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    A PLEA FOR PRESENT HELP Psalms 44:9 In Psalms 44:11 God's people are compared to sheep appointed for meat, which are sold by the shepherd for naught, so worthless are they. Before their savage foes s...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    The final meaning of this psalm is discovered in its last four verses. It is a prayer for deliverance from defeat. Its strength of appeal lies in its recognition of the government of God. He is the Au...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    These are the strong cries of faith: not that the Lord sleepeth, or is an inattentive spectator to the exercises of his redeemed: He seeth and knoweth all. The great Shepherd of Israel neither slumber...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    23_Arise, O Lord! why sleepest thou? _Here the saints desire that God, having pity upon them, would at length send them help and deliverance. Although God allows the saints to plead with him in this b...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    Psalms 44 gives a full and vivid picture of the state of the nation, as in the conscience of the remnant. They had heard with their ears. Faith rested in the memorial of all the old mighty deliverance...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    AWAKE, WHY SLEEPEST THOU, O LORD?.... Not that sleep properly falls upon God: the Keeper of Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps; his eyes are always upon his people; he never withdraws them from them,...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    Awake, why sleepest thou, O Lord? arise, cast [us] not off for ever. Ver. 23. _Awake, why sleepest thou?_] Considering all the premises, stir up thyself, and come and save us? carest thou not that we...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Awake! Why sleepest Thou, O Lord? this being the conclusion reached because of His failure to bring speedy deliverance to His children. ARISE, CAST US NOT OFF FOREVER!...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    A PRAYER IN TIMES OF NATIONAL DISTRESS. To the chief. musician for the sons of Korah, another hymn composed by a member of this family, Maschil, a didactic poem evidently written at a time when the na...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    17-26 In afflictions, we must not seek relief by any sinful compliance; but should continually meditate on the truth, purity, and knowledge of our heart-searching God. Hearts sins and secret sins are...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    No text from Poole on this verse....

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Psalms 44:23 Awake H5782 (H8798) sleep H3462 (H8799) Lord H136 Arise H6974 (H8685) off H2186 ...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    AWOKEN HIMSELF TO THE TRUE SITUATION HE NOW CALLS ON THEIR SOVEREIGN LORD TO AWAKEN AND RISE UP AND HELP THEM (PSALMS 44:23). Psalms 44:23 ‘Awake, why do you sleep, O Lord? Arise, do not cast us of...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Complaint of the Lord's apparent forgetfulness and entreaty for His help. CHARACTERS: God, Psalmist. CONCLUSION: The tokens of God's displeasure are more grievous to those who have been lo...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Psalms 44:1. _Our fathers have told us._ All ancient patriarchs instructed their children, and all ancient nations instructed posterity by oral traditions, as in this psalm, by reciting how Joshua dro...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _We have heard with our ears, O God; our fathers have told us what work Thou didst._ ASPECTS OF NATIONAL PIETY There is such a thing as national piety. I mean the aggregation of genuine godly though...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    PSALM PSALM—NOTE ON PSALMS 44:1. This is a hymn for times when God’s people as a whole have suffered some great calamity at the hands of their enemies. When the worshiping congregation sings this, the...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    PSALM—NOTE ON PSALMS 44:23 Remembering God’s history with his people strengthens the community to pray for his aid in the present. The last word is a request for God to REDEEM (see note on 25:22),...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    INTRODUCTION _Superscription_.—“To the Chief Musician for the sons of Korah, Maschil.” See introduction to Psalms 42. We have no means of determining who was the author of the psalm. Nor are we able...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION THE date and occasion of this psalm are greatly disputed. Most critics, from Calvin to Hitzig, refer it to the times of the Maccabees. Others suggest the fourth or fifth century B.C. One (T...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, what work you did in their days, in times of old. How you did drive out the heathen with thy hand, and you planted them; and how you did a...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    Isaiah 51:9; Mark 4:38; Psalms 12:5; Psalms 35:23; Psalms 59:4;...

  • When Critics Ask: A Popular Handbook on Bible Difficulties, Norman L. Geisler and Thomas Howe, 1960

    Does God sleep? PROBLEM: According to Psalms 121:4, God shall “neither slumber nor sleep.” Yet, in this verse the psalmist calls on God, “Awake! Why do You sleep, O Lord?” SOLUTION: The psalmist uses...

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