God’s people may experience seasons of desolation, yet faith reminds us that the LORD’s power to save lies beyond all wilderness places.
In this verse, the psalmist pleads with God about the intensity of Israel’s suffering, declaring, “Yet You have crushed us in a place of jackals And covered us with the shadow of death” (v.19). The imagery of “a place of jackals” points to barren and lonely terrain, the sort of wilderness areas in ancient Israel where wild animals roamed freely, emphasizing the depth of desolation that the people feel. This psalm is attributed to the sons of Korah, who lived during the time of King David’s reign in approximately 1010-970 BC, and it expresses the collective cry of a community feeling abandoned and bruised despite their covenant relationship with the LORD.
When the verse says, “You have crushed us in a place of jackals” (v.19), it testifies to a sense that God’s own hand has allowed or even authored their trial. This crushing can be understood as God permitting discipline or hardship for His people, reminiscent of times when Israel’s faithfulness waned. The “jackals” setting indicates not only geographical severity—reflecting a harsh wilderness—but also a spiritual and emotional loneliness. In this setting, the Israelites long for God’s deliverance, acknowledging that their hope lies in the very One they believe has permitted their suffering.
Finally, the phrase, “covered us with the shadow of death” (v.19), resonates with other biblical images such as Psalm 23:4, where the “valley of the shadow of death” speaks of peril and distress. That same shadow of death imagery appears in the New Testament as well, pointing ultimately to Jesus Christ, who overcame death’s dominion (John 11:25). In this way, though the people feel darkly overshadowed, they trust that the God who seems distant is still the God who upholds them through every trial and who can redeem them from any affliction.
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Psalms 44:19 meaning
In this verse, the psalmist pleads with God about the intensity of Israel’s suffering, declaring, “Yet You have crushed us in a place of jackals And covered us with the shadow of death” (v.19). The imagery of “a place of jackals” points to barren and lonely terrain, the sort of wilderness areas in ancient Israel where wild animals roamed freely, emphasizing the depth of desolation that the people feel. This psalm is attributed to the sons of Korah, who lived during the time of King David’s reign in approximately 1010-970 BC, and it expresses the collective cry of a community feeling abandoned and bruised despite their covenant relationship with the LORD.
When the verse says, “You have crushed us in a place of jackals” (v.19), it testifies to a sense that God’s own hand has allowed or even authored their trial. This crushing can be understood as God permitting discipline or hardship for His people, reminiscent of times when Israel’s faithfulness waned. The “jackals” setting indicates not only geographical severity—reflecting a harsh wilderness—but also a spiritual and emotional loneliness. In this setting, the Israelites long for God’s deliverance, acknowledging that their hope lies in the very One they believe has permitted their suffering.
Finally, the phrase, “covered us with the shadow of death” (v.19), resonates with other biblical images such as Psalm 23:4, where the “valley of the shadow of death” speaks of peril and distress. That same shadow of death imagery appears in the New Testament as well, pointing ultimately to Jesus Christ, who overcame death’s dominion (John 11:25). In this way, though the people feel darkly overshadowed, they trust that the God who seems distant is still the God who upholds them through every trial and who can redeem them from any affliction.