Psalm 44:1-15 (KJV): I will not trust in my bow

From Psalms

Psalm 44
(For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A maskil)

¹We have heard with our ears, O God,
      our fathers have told us,
what work thou didst in their days,
      in the times of old.
²How thou didst drive out the heathen with thy hand,
      and plantedst them;
how thou didst afflict the people,
      and cast them out.
³For they got not the land in possession
      by their own sword,
      neither did their own arm save them:
but thy right hand, and thine arm,
      and the light of thy countenance,
      because thou hadst a favour unto them.

⁴Thou art my King, O God:
command deliverances for Jacob.
⁵Through thee will we push down our enemies:
      through thy name will we tread them under
      that rise up against us.
⁶For I will not trust in my bow,
      neither shall my sword save me.
⁷But thou hast saved us from our enemies,
      and hast put them to shame that hated us.
⁸In God we boast all the day long,
      and praise thy name for ever.                                   Selah.

⁹But thou hast cast off,
and put us to shame;
      and goest not forth with our armies.
¹⁰Thou makest us to turn back from the enemy:
      and they which hate us spoil for themselves.
¹¹Thou hast given us like sheep
      appointed for meat;
and hast scattered us
      among the heathen.
¹²Thou sellest thy people for nought,
      and dost not increase thy wealth by their price.

¹³Thou makest us a reproach
      to our neighbours,
a scorn and a derision
      to them that are round about us.
¹⁴Thou makest us a byword
      among the heathen,
a shaking of the head among the people.
¹⁵My confusion is continually before me,
      and the shame of my face hath covered me,

This is a deeply honest psalm.  Clearly written when God had turned the Isrealites over to their enemies.  A time when the people were not doing God's will.  So, it seems, God would let the people fail while doing things by their own will.  In verses 8-15 we see what happens when we follow our own will.  "My confusion is continually before me,"  and "Thou makest reproach to our neighbors."  These feeling are not uncommon for addicts and alcoholics.  In fact, these are daily occurrences in the lives of addicts.  So, we learn, as most of did in step three, to hand our lives over to the will of God.

Additionally, I think its important to note what got us to this point.  For me, it was trusting in things, idols, that have no place to be trusted.  Like, the bow in this psalm, I trust not in money, titles, houses, or any other object.  Those things will not protect me.  I need to trust in the Lord and that he will work in my life in the people around me.  When I have problems I need to stop trying to fix it myself.  When I have a problem I need to pray, I need to share my problem with those around me, and trust that the lord will guide me in an answer.

Thanks for letting me share.