The Meaning of Psalms 44:2 Explained

Psalms 44:2

KJV: How thou didst drive out the heathen with thy hand, and plantedst them; how thou didst afflict the people, and cast them out.

YLT: Thou, with Thy hand, nations hast dispossessed. And Thou dost plant them. Thou afflictest peoples, and sendest them away.

Darby: Thou, by thy hand, didst dispossess the nations, but them thou didst plant; thou didst afflict the peoples, but them didst thou cause to spread out.

ASV: Thou didst drive out the nations with thy hand; But them thou didst plant: Thou didst afflict the peoples; But them thou didst spread abroad.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

[How] thou didst drive out  the heathen  with thy hand,  and plantedst  them; [how] thou didst afflict  the people,  and cast them out. 

What does Psalms 44:2 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 44:1-8 - Courage From Former Deliverances
This psalm, like Psalms 60:1-12, came out of one of the early wars in David's reign, as described in 2 Samuel 8:13-14. Some refer it to 2 Chronicles 20:1-37. It befits the Church when her former prosperous state contrasts sadly with her depressed and suffering condition.
It is a great argument in prayer when we can quote to God the mighty things of the past, and ask that He should do the same again. The great revivals and advances of the past were not achieved by human wisdom or might, but by faith. It is always God's right hand and the light of Hiscountenance that win the land in possession; but why should He not command similar deliverances again! And what is true of the Church is equally true of the individual. Why not lift thy heart to God, O defeated soul, and claim that He should command victories for thee? Psalms 44:2, r.v., margin. Make thy boast in God and thou wilt have reason to give thanks unto Him forever! But before we can claim God's deliverances, we must be able to say, Thou art my King, Psalms 44:4. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 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 44:2 mean?

You with Your hand the nations drove out but them You planted You afflicted the peoples and cast them out
אַתָּ֤ה ׀ יָדְךָ֡ גּוֹיִ֣ם ה֭וֹרַשְׁתָּ וַתִּטָּעֵ֑ם תָּרַ֥ע לְ֝אֻמִּ֗ים וַֽתְּשַׁלְּחֵֽם

יָדְךָ֡  with  Your  hand 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
גּוֹיִ֣ם  the  nations 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: גֹּוי 
Sense: nation, people.
ה֭וֹרַשְׁתָּ  drove  out 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: יָרַשׁ  
Sense: to seize, dispossess, take possession off, inherit, disinherit, occupy, impoverish, be an heir.
וַתִּטָּעֵ֑ם  but  them  You  planted 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, second person masculine singular, third person masculine plural
Root: נָטַע  
Sense: to plant, fasten, fix, establish.
תָּרַ֥ע  You  afflicted 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: מֵרֵעַ 
Sense: to be bad, be evil.
לְ֝אֻמִּ֗ים  the  peoples 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: לְאֹם  
Sense: a people, nation.
וַֽתְּשַׁלְּחֵֽם  and  cast  them  out 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Consecutive imperfect, second person masculine singular, third person masculine plural
Root: שָׁלַח  
Sense: to send, send away, let go, stretch out.