Psalm 44:10-12
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
It's easy to read this verse as simply describing a military defeat. However, the phrasing "spoil for themselves" reveals something deeper: the enemies aren't just taking the spoils of war, they are making them their own with no regard for God or His justice, driven purely by their own gain and hatred.
You have made us turn back from the foe, and those who hate us have gotten spoil. You have made us like sheep for slaughter and have scattered us among the nations. You have sold your people for a trifle, demanding no high price for them.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This psalm is a lament where the people of Israel recount their past victories and contrast them with their current devastating defeat. They describe how God has seemingly abandoned them, causing them to flee from their enemies and suffer plunder, humiliation, and scattering among foreign nations. This verse specifically captures the shame of being routed and the enemy's subsequent spoils taken at their leisure.
Have you ever felt like you're taking steps backward in your spiritual life, even when you're trying to move forward? This verse speaks directly to that feeling.
The psalmist here doesn't just describe a military defeat; they attribute the turning back to God. Notice the wording: 'You make us turn back.' This isn't about a lack of effort on their part, but a perceived withdrawal of God's presence and strength. It’s a profound and difficult concept: sometimes, our setbacks aren't just random bad luck, but a sign that God has purposefully stepped back, perhaps as a consequence of sin or to teach a deeper lesson. This doesn't mean God is against us, but that His discipline can feel like a withdrawal of His favor, leading to vulnerability and loss.
When God seems silent, our enemies often seem louder and more successful. What does this say about the spiritual battle we face?
The second part of the verse, 'and those who hate us have gotten spoil,' reveals the consequence of God's perceived absence. When God withdraws His protective hand, enemies are quick to seize the opportunity. The 'spoil' taken isn't just material possessions; it can represent spiritual ground lost, peace stolen, or even individuals falling away from faith. The enemies act 'for themselves,' driven by their own motives and desires, unhindered by God's intervention. This highlights that spiritual warfare is real, and a weakened defense (due to a perceived absence of God) leaves believers vulnerable to exploitation by forces that oppose God.
Understand the original words
Ask a follow-up
shasas · Hebrew Noun/Verb
The goods, riches, or weaponry taken from a defeated opponent; in the context of divine judgment, it represents the consequence of losing God's protection in battle.
tsōn · Hebrew Noun
A domesticated animal often used in Scripture as a metaphor for helplessness, vulnerability, and dependence on a shepherd. In this context, it highlights the defenseless state of the people before their enemies.
zārāh · Hebrew Verb
The act of being forcibly dispersed or spread out. In a theological sense, this often signifies judgment or the consequences of covenant disobedience, where the people lose their unity and place in the promised land.
‘am · Hebrew Noun
Refers to the collective body of God's chosen people with whom He has entered into a formal, binding relationship. Being "God's people" implies both privilege and the responsibility of faithfulness to His covenant.
This psalm likely arose from a period of deep national crisis, such as the Babylonian exile or the Maccabean period, where the people felt abandoned by God after experiencing devastating military defeat and plunder.
c. 722 BC
Fall of Samaria and Assyrian Exile
The Northern Kingdom of Israel falls to the Neo-Assyrian Empire, leading to the exile of its population and the scattering of the ten tribes. This event marked a significant loss of territory and national identity.
605 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
Under Nebuchadnezzar II, Babylon begins its campaigns against Judah, deporting a portion of the elite and skilled workers to Babylon. This marked the beginning of Judah's decline.
597 BC
Second Babylonian Deportation
Nebuchadnezzar deports King Jehoiachin and another large group of Judeans, including prominent figures and artisans, to Babylon. The Temple in Jerusalem is further plundered.
586 BC— this verse
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
Nebuchadnezzar completely destroys Jerusalem and its Temple, exiling the remaining population to Babylon. This was a catastrophic event, marking the end of the Davidic monarchy and the Judean state.
539 BC
Cyrus the Great conquers Babylon
Cyrus the Great of Persia conquers Babylon, leading to the Edict of Cyrus the following year, which allowed exiled peoples, including the Judeans, to return to their homelands.
c. 167-142 BC
Maccabean Revolt
A Jewish revolt against the Seleucid Empire, sparked by religious persecution under Antiochus IV Epiphanes. This period saw intense religious warfare and a renewed sense of national identity.
This verse describes a consequence of disobedience where enemies will pursue the Israelites, causing them to turn back and be scattered, mirroring the fear and defeat described in Psalms 44.
Deuteronomy 32:30This passage speaks of God allowing enemies to pursue and defeat His people when they are not strong, highlighting the idea that God's withdrawal of strength leads to the enemy's triumph and spoils.
Jeremiah 48:11This verse uses similar imagery of a people who have 'rested in their pots' and not been poured from one vessel to another, suggesting a state of complacency that leads to being plundered and captured by enemies.
Lamentations 1:10This verse describes enemies entering Jerusalem and plundering its treasures, which parallels the idea in Psalms 44 of enemies taking spoil for themselves after the people have been routed.
2 Chronicles 36:7This historical account of Nebuchadnezzar carrying off the vessels of the Temple to Babylon illustrates the very real consequence of defeat where enemies take spoils for their own use.
poolePsalms 44:10: "Thou makest us to turn back from the enemy: and they which hate us spoil for themselves."
Thou makest us to turn back from the enemy, by withdrawing thy help and our courage, according to thy threatenings, Leviticus 26:36 . Spoil for themselves, i.e. take away our estates to their own use, and for their only benefit, not in compliance with thy will, which was to punish us for our sins, nor for thy service and glory. They minded nothing but their own advantage.
clarkePsalms 44:10: "Thou makest us to turn back from the enemy: and they which hate us spoil for themselves."
Thou makest us to turn back - This thou didst: and our enemies, profiting by the occasion, finding our strength was departed from us, made us an easy prey, captivated our persons, and spoiled us of our property.
It's easy to read this verse as simply describing a military defeat. However, the phrasing "spoil for themselves" reveals something deeper: the enemies aren't just taking the spoils of war, they are making them their own with no regard for God or His justice, driven purely by their own gain and hatred.
This psalm is a lament where the people of Israel recount their past victories and contrast them with their current devastating defeat. They describe how God has seemingly abandoned them, causing them to flee from their enemies and suffer plunder, humiliation, and scattering among foreign nations. This verse specifically captures the shame of being routed and the enemy's subsequent spoils taken at their leisure.
This psalm is a lament where the people of Israel recount their past victories and contrast them with their current devastating defeat. They describe how God has seemingly abandoned them, causing them to flee from their enemies and suffer plunder, humiliation, and scattering among foreign nations. This verse specifically captures the shame of being routed and the enemy's subsequent spoils taken at their leisure.
"You have made us turn back from the foe, and those who hate us have gotten spoil. You have made us like sheep for slaughter and have scattered us among the nations. You have sold your people for a trifle, demanding…" — It's easy to read this verse as simply describing a military defeat. However, the phrasing "spoil for themselves" reveals something deeper: the enemies aren't just taking the spoils of war, they are…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026
