The Meaning of Psalms 44:1 Explained

Psalms 44:1

KJV: {To the chief Musician for the sons of Korah, Maschil.} We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, what work thou didst in their days, in the times of old.

YLT: To the Overseer. -- By sons of Korah. An Instruction. O God, with our ears we have heard, Our fathers have recounted to us, The work Thou didst work in their days, In the days of old.

Darby: {To the chief Musician. Of the sons of Korah. An instruction.} O God, with our ears have we heard, our fathers have told us, the work thou wroughtest in their days, in the days of old:

ASV: We have heard with our ears, O God, Our fathers have told us, What work thou didst in their days, In the days of old.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

{{To the chief Musician  for the sons  of Korah,  Maschil.  }} We have heard  with our ears,  O God,  our fathers  have told  us, [what] work  thou didst  in their days,  in the times  of old. 

What does Psalms 44:1 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 44:1 mean?

To the Chief Musician of the sons of Korah a Contemplation God with our ears we have heard Our fathers have told us the deeds You did in their days in days of old
לַמְנַצֵּ֬חַ לִבְנֵי־ קֹ֬רַח מַשְׂכִּֽיל אֱלֹהִ֤ים ׀ בְּאָזְנֵ֬ינוּ שָׁמַ֗עְנוּ אֲבוֹתֵ֥ינוּ סִפְּרוּ־ לָ֑נוּ פֹּ֥עַל פָּעַ֥לְתָּ בִֽ֝ימֵיהֶ֗ם בִּ֣ימֵי קֶֽדֶם

לַמְנַצֵּ֬חַ  To  the  Chief  Musician 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Verb, Piel, Participle, masculine singular
Root: נָצַח  
Sense: to excel, be bright, be preeminent, be perpetual, be overseer, be enduring.
לִבְנֵי־  of  the  sons 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
קֹ֬רַח  of  Korah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: קֹרַח  
Sense: son of Izhar, grandson of Kohath, great grandson of Levi and leader of the rebellion of the Israelites against Moses and Aaron while in the wilderness; punished and died by an earthquake and flames of fire.
מַשְׂכִּֽיל  a  Contemplation 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מַשְׂכִּיל  
Sense: (Hiphil) poem, song or poem of contemplation.
אֱלֹהִ֤ים ׀  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
בְּאָזְנֵ֬ינוּ  with  our  ears 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, fdc, first person common plural
Root: אֹזֶן  
Sense: ear, as part of the body.
שָׁמַ֗עְנוּ  we  have  heard 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common plural
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
אֲבוֹתֵ֥ינוּ  Our  fathers 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common plural
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
סִפְּרוּ־  have  told 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: סָפַר 
Sense: to count, recount, relate.
לָ֑נוּ  us 
Parse: Preposition, first person common plural
פֹּ֥עַל  the  deeds 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: פֹּעַל  
Sense: work, deed, doing.
פָּעַ֥לְתָּ  You  did 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: פָּעַל  
Sense: to do, make.
בִֽ֝ימֵיהֶ֗ם  in  their  days 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
בִּ֣ימֵי  in  days 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
קֶֽדֶם  of  old 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: קֶדֶם 
Sense: east, antiquity, front, that which is before, aforetime.