Psalm 44

Psalm 44
Psalm 44 is the remnant looking with the understanding of faith at the nation as it was, and as it then will be, with an appeal to God at the close. They will recall that it was God's power that gave Israel her land; He had by His hand dispossessed the nations that were occupying Palestine, and had planted Israel there; He had afflicted the races of mankind, but caused the children of Israel to spread out (verses 1-3).
Looking to God as their King, as He was of old their King, the godly here await the hour when He will again lead them to battle. Already they have been separated from those who were their adversaries (the godless Jews with their Gentile associates), and are rejoicing in the partial deliverance (verses 4-8).
Verses 9-16 consider the then present state of the people, suffering because of the greatest of all their many sins—the rejection of their Messiah (Matthew 27:21-2621The governor answered and said unto them, Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you? They said, Barabbas. 22Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified. 23And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified. 24When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it. 25Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children. 26Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified. (Matthew 27:21‑26); Zechariah 13:6-96And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends. 7Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the Lord of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones. 8And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the Lord, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein. 9And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The Lord is my God. (Zechariah 13:6‑9)).
In verses 17-22 the remnant acknowledge their true place, but having through divine mercy been converted to God, they look to Him in confidence as those who walk in His ways (James 5:16,16Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. (James 5:16) last sentence).
Verse 22 as quoted in Romans 8:36,36As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. (Romans 8:36) began when Christ was crucified, rose again and ascended; there was severe persecution then, and there will be again in the day for which this psalm was written.
The last four verses contain the appeal of the remnant for God to come to their help. In verse 26, observe, it is "for Thy mercy's, (or loving-kindness) sake," not for any measure of faithfulness in those who plead.