The Humiliation Defeat of The Nation

Commentary

All of the happy and inspiring thoughts of the past (vv. 1-8) give way to a bitter complaint in verse 9 and following. The psalmist complaint is that Israel has had to retreat from her enemies and that God has scattered them among the heathen. The armies of Israel have been dispersed throughout foreign countries and many have been taken captive. In spite of past victories the nation has been subjected to a humiliating defeat. The writer attributes the defeat to the fact that the Lord no longer fought for them (vv. 9-10). Israel had been defeated so easily that he concludes that God had abandoned her.

The complaint was that God had allowed Israel’s enemies to have power over her without great difficulty, without causing the victory to be achieved as one who pays a great price (vv. 11-12). Israel had been defeated so easily that the psalmist concluded that God had abandoned her. The Israelite armies had become so weakened that her enemies laughed her to scorn (v. 13). In fact the misery of Israel was so great that eventually the very name, Jew, became a byword for misery (v. 14). Defeat and confusion had overtaken God’s people (vv. 15-16).

How do we handle rejection and defeat? How do we react when our faith doesn’t seem to be getting results. In this passage the mystery of God seems to loom in the distance. In the immediate situation God’s people are suffering. Rather than causing them to forsake their faith they are driven to pray.

Application

It is so easy to blame God for the things that happen in my life or at least to question Him as to why He allows it to happen. I may have to go through some times in my life that are not easy but that is not a time to question or blame God. Rather than complain, I need to be praising Him for what He has done and seeking to find out what He is trying to teach me in these difficult times.