Psalms 44 · Verse 20

Psalms 44:20

If we have forgotten the name of our God, or stretched out our hands to a strange god;
Psalms 44:20, King James Version

Psalms 44:20 in other translations

BSBIf we had forgotten the name of our God or spread out our hands to a foreign god,
WEBIf we have forgotten the name of our God, or spread out our hands to a strange god,
ASVIf we have forgotten the name of our God, Or spread forth our hands to a strange god;
YLTIf we have forgotten the name of our God, And spread our hands to a strange God,
DARBYIf we had forgotten the name of our God, and stretched out our hands to a strangegod,
BBEIf the name of our God has gone out of our minds, or if our hands have been stretched out to a strange god,
WebsterIf we have forgotten the name of our God, or stretched out our hands to a strange god;

What does Psalms 44:20 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Psalms 44:20-21
20-21. A solemn appeal to God to witness their constancy. stretched out ... hands--gesture of worship (Ex 9:29; Psa 88:9).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 20 If we have forgotten the name of our God - That name, יהוה Jehovah, by which the true God was particularly distinguished, and which implied the exclusion of all other objects of adoration. Or stretched out our hands - Made supplication; offered prayer or adoration to any strange god - a god that we had not known, nor had been acknowledged by our fathers. It has already been remarked, that from the time of the Babylonish captivity the Jews never relapsed into idolatry. It was customary among the ancients, while praying, to stretch out their hands towards the heavens, or the image they were worshipping, as if they expected to receive the favor they were asking.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Psalms 44:17-26

In afflictions, we must not seek relief by any sinful compliance; but should continually meditate on the truth, purity, and knowledge of our heart-searching God. Hearts sins and secret sins are known to God, and must be reckoned for. He knows the secret of the heart, therefore judges of the words and actions. While our troubles do not drive us from our duty to God, we should not suffer them to drive us from our…

Read the full comment on Psalms 44:17-26 →

Psalms 44:20 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

אִם\־'i.mo.Sha-ifH518
שָׁ֭כַחְנוּSha.khach.nuwe had forgottenH7911
שֵׁ֣םshem[the] name ofH8034
אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ'e.lo.Hei.nuGod ourH430
וַנִּפְרֹ֥שׂva.nif.Rosand we had spread outH6566
כַּ֝פֵּ֗ינוּka.Pei.nuhands ourH3709
לְאֵ֣לle.'Elto a godH410
זָֽר\׃ZarstrangeH2114

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Psalms 44:20

  • Psalms 81:9

    There shall no strange god be in thee; neither shalt thou worship any strange god.

  • Job 11:13

    If thou prepare thine heart, and stretch out thine hands toward him;

  • Deuteronomy 6:14

    Ye shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the people which are round about you;

  • Psalms 7:3-5

    O Lord my God, if I have done this; if there be iniquity in my hands; If I have rewarded evil unto him that was at peace with me; (yea, I have delivered him that without cause is mine enemy:) Let the enemy persecute my soul, and take it; yea, let him tread down my life upon the earth, and lay mine honour in the dust. Selah.

  • Psalms 68:31

    Princes shall come out of Egypt; Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands unto God.

  • Job 31:5-40

    If I have walked with vanity, or if my foot hath hasted to deceit; Let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know mine integrity. If my step hath turned out of the way, and mine heart walked after mine eyes, and if any blot hath cleaved to mine hands; Then let me sow, and let another eat; yea, let my offspring be rooted out. …

  • Exodus 9:29

    And Moses said unto him, As soon as I am gone out of the city, I will spread abroad my hands unto the Lord; and the thunder shall cease, neither shall there be any more hail; that thou mayest know how that the earth is the Lord’s.

  • 1 Kings 8:22

    And Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven:

  • Psalms 78:11

    And forgat his works, and his wonders that he had shewed them.

  • Psalms 44:17

    All this is come upon us; yet have we not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falsely in thy covenant.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
If we.
17; 7:3-5; Job 31:5-40
stretched.
68:31; Ex 9:29; 1Ki 8:22; Job 11:13

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Psalms 44:19

    Though thou hast sore broken us in the place of dragons, and covered us with the shadow of death.

  • Psalms 44:20

    If we have forgotten the name of our God, or stretched out our hands to a strange god;

  • Psalms 44:21

    Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart.

Read all of Psalms 44

Psalms 44:20 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Si nos hubiésemos olvidado del nombre de nuestro Dios, ó alzado nuestras manos á dios ajeno,
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Quoique tu nous aies écrasés dans le lieu des chacals, et que tu nous aies couverts de l’ombre de la mort.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Wenn wir vergessen hätten den Namen unseres Gottes und unsere Hände ausgestreckt zu einem fremden Gott,