Psalms 44:20 Meaning and Explanation
“If we have forgotten the name of our God, or stretched out our hands to a strange god;”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Israel poses a hypothetical: if they had committed apostasy, then calamity would be deserved.
The Context of Psalms 44:20
Israel's hypothetical: suffering would be justified only if they had committed apostasy.
What Does Psalms 44:20 Mean?
The 'if' here (Hebrew 'im') introduces a conditional statement: 'if we have done X, then Y would follow.' The psalmist uses a rhetorical if-then structure to frame the argument: if Israel had forgotten God's name or turned to foreign deities, then suffering would be a just consequence. But the implicit claim is that they have not done these things.
'Forgotten the name' means losing remembrance and recognition of who God is. 'Stretched out our hands to a strange god' describes the physical gesture and action of worship toward other deities. These are the classic accusations of apostasy in Israel's religious tradition. By posing them hypothetically and claiming they are not true, the psalmist argues that Israel's suffering is therefore unjust and demands explanation.
Frequently Asked Questions About Psalms 44:20
What does Psalms 44:20 mean?
Israel poses a hypothetical: if they had committed apostasy, then calamity would be deserved.
What is the context of Psalms 44:20?
Israel's hypothetical: suffering would be justified only if they had committed apostasy.