Psalms 44:1
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.
Original Language Analysis
אֱלֹהִ֤ים׀
O God
H430
אֱלֹהִ֤ים׀
O God
Strong's:
H430
Word #:
1 of 11
gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme god; occasionally applied by way of
בְּאָזְנֵ֬ינוּ
with our ears
H241
בְּאָזְנֵ֬ינוּ
with our ears
Strong's:
H241
Word #:
2 of 11
broadness. i.e., (concrete) the ear (from its form in man)
שָׁמַ֗עְנוּ
We have heard
H8085
שָׁמַ֗עְנוּ
We have heard
Strong's:
H8085
Word #:
3 of 11
to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.)
אֲבוֹתֵ֥ינוּ
our fathers
H1
אֲבוֹתֵ֥ינוּ
our fathers
Strong's:
H1
Word #:
4 of 11
father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote application
סִפְּרוּ
have told
H5608
סִפְּרוּ
have told
Strong's:
H5608
Word #:
5 of 11
properly, to score with a mark as a tally or record, i.e., (by implication) to inscribe, and also to enumerate; intensively, to recount, i.e., celebra
פָּעַ֥לְתָּ
thou didst
H6466
פָּעַ֥לְתָּ
thou didst
Strong's:
H6466
Word #:
8 of 11
to do or make (systematically and habitually), especially to practise
בִּ֣ימֵי
in the times
H3117
בִּ֣ימֵי
in the times
Strong's:
H3117
Word #:
9 of 11
a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an asso
Cross References
Judges 6:13And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the LORD be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt? but now the LORD hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.Psalms 42:1As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.Deuteronomy 6:20And when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What mean the testimonies, and the statutes, and the judgments, which the LORD our God hath commanded you?Isaiah 38:19The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day: the father to the children shall make known thy truth.Psalms 77:5I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient times.Joel 1:3Tell ye your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children another generation.
Historical Context
Intergenerational testimony was commanded in Deuteronomy 6:6-7 and Psalm 78. Israel's identity depended on remembering and retelling God's mighty acts, creating continuity between past redemption and present faith.
Questions for Reflection
- What role does hearing 'from our fathers' play in sustaining faith?
- How can we better transmit the stories of God's faithfulness to the next generation?
Analysis & Commentary
The psalm begins with corporate memory: 'We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us.' Faith is transmitted through testimony, not merely personal experience. The 'work' God did 'in their days, in the times of old' refers to exodus and conquest, the foundational salvific events of Israel's history.