“All The Day Long” – Psalms in experience  

We turn to them and find that the writer speaks as a human, with the usual mixture of emotion and experience. Some Psalms ask unanswered questions; others supply answers or reassure of God’s knowledge and faithfulness. In all, there are heartfelt expressions of life’s circumstances. 

Some content of the Psalms strikes us as not appropriate to use today – we don’t use imprecatory calls against national enemies, and we have a relationship with God as Father, so our language of address has some difference. 

But what about the emotive language of individual experience in trial? They (the Psalmists) wrote in their time and Testament. Can we take their language and express it in NT times? Is there any uncertainty about doing so? 

How would we answer this? Well – there are some starting principles to use in handling the Psalms. Firstly, identifying the Messianic Psalms, which speak of Christ either in brief lines and stanzas, or entirely devoted to Him. Then, we note how scripture itself uses any given Psalm. Some forty or so Psalms are quoted or alluded to reasonably clearly in the NT (a little overlap with the Messianic number). 

These considerations immediately help us navigate about one-third of the Psalms. But does the NT use any Psalm clearly enough to describe our current position? Does any passage quote the poetry of Israel and their trials, and indicate that modern believers occupy a comparable position? 

Yes! At least one, and in a very precious chapter. Perhaps the second half of Romans 8 is the closest the New Testament writers come to the spirit of those ‘lament’ Psalms: God’s people, although sure of their inheritance, are in the meantime “groaning” within themselves waiting with expectation for full redemption. 

In Romans 8, the apostle Paul turns to Psalm 44. Let’s see briefly why it was used, encouraged by Martin Luther’s optimism “everything in this Psalm is easy” (Luther, Works)!

The superscription immediately points out the link to the sons of Korah. 

These Kohathites are descendants of faithful Levites in the wilderness journey (Num. 16:1–50; 26:10ff). So, it seems fitting that the Kohathites would have their Psalms opening the ‘Exodus’ part of the Psalter (Ps 42-49). 

They suffered with God’s rejected king (1 Chron. 12:6). They guarded (1 Chron. 26:19) and served as musicians in the sanctuary (2 Chron. 20:19); “In war and in music like David… unlike David, however, these fought, sang, and composed psalms as a family, not as individuals” (Waltke, “The Psalms as Christian Lament”). They were then a corporate representation of their king. 

Already we might relate; we are priests (1 Peter 2:1-10), are amongst the faithful in the period of Christ’s rejection (John 13-14), and as a corporate body (Col 3:15-16) we represent and praise Him. 

The structure is shown by repetition like many poetic writings. Here, the refrain comes three times and is one of constancy: 

V1-8: in God we boast all the day long

V9-16: my disgrace is before me all the day long

V17-22: we are killed all the day long

The “Selah” at the close of v8 was a little musical injunction to stop, and seriously consider the preceding content before continuing. Literally meaning ‘lift up’, the writer, or reader would have lifted the head from the page and mused. Possibly, the music itself would have quietened as the player lifts their hands (or lips) from the instrument.  

So far, so academic? Not at all – these are all clues to usage. There are three pieces, but vital to understanding the Psalm is to seriously stop and ‘lock in’ the content of v1-8 before going near the rest. How appropriate this will be for use in Romans 8! 

The sections themselves develop the experience of the speaker/s:

V1-8; The Kohathites’ boast is in God. The basis for this is on evidence past (v1-2): faith has reacted to existing proof of God’s favour. 

He has historically planted them in a gracious position and “spread them out” (v.2) – they are His vine (Ps 80:8,15). Imagery continues; this was by God’s arm (the Hebrews would’ve thought of shoulder to elbow), by His hand (they would have meant elbow to palm), and by the light of his countenance – God’s careful attention upon His special work. 

They expect the same blessing and help in the current generation, as in the past. In fact, this little section is almost a poem by itself with this theme running throughout: praise to God past and present (v1, v8); specific acts remembered across generations (v2, v7), previous nor future victory ‘not by their sword’ (v3a, v6), but rather by the deeds of God (v3b, v5). Verse 4 is the central pronouncement of the mini-psalm – “Thou art He, My King”. 

This is crucial: regardless of the remainder of the Psalm, there is concrete evidence of the favour and faithfulness of God, and what follows is interpreted through that evidence. Deliberate pause (selah) is taken to bask in assurance through faith. What follows will be understood by faith, and with the facts – i.e. God has already done so much for both generations. What follows does not change God. 

V9-16; The “but” is what we dread on paper and in practice. This list of Gods actions stands in contrast to Ps 103:1-4, where the benefits of salvation are numbered. It seems by the tense used, to describe a pattern followed for a while. No benefit to God seems to be produced (v12-14), and insults increase from the voice of the enemy. 

“Reproach and blasphemy” are, respectively, towards His people and His Name. It has never been clear what time in Israel’s history this psalm is set in, but the only other use of this double phrase is Hezekiah’s time (Is 37:6, 23 and 2 Kings 19:22) when repeatedly doubts and insinuations are peppered against the nation regarding God’s ability to save. We are hardly into the second book of Psalms before the question looms in Ps 42 and Ps 43: “why am I mourning because of the enemy”? Ps 44 betrays the answer: the sheer difficulty of experiencing insult and reproach all the day long. 

All the day long. What a simple but expressive description of endurance! The boast in God is being tested, but (as Hezekiah) the company still hold fast in confidence – because of the evidence of faith. 

V17-22; after all this, something striking is seen. This difficulty is not because of sin. God did this, but not judicially for unfaithfulness. “Yes” they can confirm - that which they are suffering has been ‘for Thy sake’ – not for sin, but rather “on account of You” (translation of Commentary on New Testament use of the Old Testament; Beale & Carson, eds.). They knowingly suffer because they bear His Name. 

The suitability of the Psalm was seen by Paul in Romans 8 for describing our experience.

Romans 5-8 began by recalling the gracious standing given. As a result, the boast we take is in God – a joyful glorying, and a confidence in God Himself, based on concrete evidence that God is for us. Evidence of action past, like Ps 44:1-8, carries that boast undamaged through tribulation; “we joyfully boast… knowing…”. What evidence of the poured-out love of God exists in our case? “While we were yet without strength, Christ died for the ungodly”! Based on such proof, we have confidence throughout trial without needing to doubt the motives of God. 

Now in Romans 8 at the close of that section, just as per Ps 44:9-16, Paul can compile a list of all that believers might experience. Because of sin? No – the intervening chapters 6-7 have shown that no binding relationship to sin remains. 

So, a people suffering then, not for sin but for His Name. On account of Him, they groan. Yet, forearmed with established proof of His intent towards His people, they can pass through any valley. Not until assurance of grace is etched into their mind are they allowed beneath the shadow of death knowing that they will never be severed. 

“Redeem us”, the faithful of Psalm 44 conclude (v23-26) in their appeal to the sovereign (Adonai). The One that is in control of time, is in receipt of their prayer. So too did Paul conclude – waiting to receive the full measure of what had already been begun – the full glory of being sons of God, and redemption of our very body. 

Finally, a striking title of Deity features in both: “He that searches the heart” (Ps 44:21, Rom 8:27). We will likely always still turn to the Psalms for aid in expressing our thoughts, and this for our own benefit. The secrets of the heart, however, are known to Him. The Psalmist used this to reflect a clarity of heart that can ascribe trial solely to His will. Paul had more to add; so close is God to us, even throughout trial, that the Spirit ensures our very groans and attempts of expression reach the ear of God. He knows how to communicate to the Father, the emotion that defies expression. No greater heart-searching can be done – neither through poetry, nor sometimes even through prayer – than the searching of His presence within.