The Meaning of Psalms 44:20 Explained

Psalms 44:20

KJV: If we have forgotten the name of our God, or stretched out our hands to a strange god;

YLT: If we have forgotten the name of our God, And spread our hands to a strange God,

Darby: If we had forgotten the name of our God, and stretched out our hands to a strange god,

ASV: If we have forgotten the name of our God, Or spread forth our hands to a strange god;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

If we have forgotten  the name  of our God,  or stretched out  our hands  to a strange  god; 

What does Psalms 44:20 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalm 44:9-26 - A Plea For Present Help
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 sheep are defenseless and unresisting. Their bitter lot is aggravated by their fear lest the shepherd has forgotten them. The reference in Psalms 44:19 to jackals suggests the further picture of a harried and panting flock. It is hardly to be wondered at that God's tender mercies seemed withdrawn from his people!
But notice how the Apostle Paul uses these words in Romans 8:36. He does not complain of forsakenness, nor appeal for help. On the contrary, he declares that in all these things we are more than conquerors, and that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. This is the lesson of the New Testament-that we conquer when we are defeated; overcome when we are slain; are strongest when we are beaten to the dust; and ascend to the throne only when we fie in the grave where Jesus, our Master, lay! John 12:24; 2 Corinthians 13:3-4. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalm 44

1  The church, in memory of former favors
7  complains of her present evils
17  professing her integrity,
24  she fervently prays for helpfulness

What do the individual words in Psalms 44:20 mean?

If we had forgotten the name of our God Or stretched out our hands to a god foreign
אִם־ שָׁ֭כַחְנוּ שֵׁ֣ם אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ וַנִּפְרֹ֥שׂ כַּ֝פֵּ֗ינוּ לְאֵ֣ל זָֽר

שָׁ֭כַחְנוּ  we  had  forgotten 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common plural
Root: כָּשַׁח 
Sense: to forget, ignore, wither.
שֵׁ֣ם  the  name 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שֵׁם  
Sense: name.
אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ  of  our  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
וַנִּפְרֹ֥שׂ  Or  stretched  out 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, first person common plural
Root: פָּרַשׂ  
Sense: to spread, spread out, stretch, break in pieces.
כַּ֝פֵּ֗ינוּ  our  hands 
Parse: Noun, fdc, first person common plural
Root: כַּף  
Sense: palm, hand, sole, palm of the hand, hollow or flat of the hand.
לְאֵ֣ל  to  a  god 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֵל 
Sense: god, god-like one, mighty one.
זָֽר  foreign 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: זוּר 
Sense: to be strange, be a stranger.