yet you have broken us in the place of jackals and covered us with the shadow of death.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The phrasing "place of jackals" isn't just describing a desolate location, but rather a place so utterly ravaged and abandoned that it has become home to wild, predatory creatures, symbolizing the complete desolation of their lives. This intense imagery emphasizes that their suffering is so extreme it feels like a descent into a terrifying, wild wilderness where only death and desolation reign.
yet you have broken us in the place of jackals and covered us with the shadow of death.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The psalmist is speaking on behalf of the people of Israel, lamenting their severe oppression by enemies. They declare they have remained faithful to God despite their suffering, questioning why God has allowed them to be so utterly crushed and cast into a desolate, death-like state, implying their suffering is disproportionate to any perceived failing. This verse stands as a stark contrast to the people's continued loyalty, setting up the plea for God's intervention in the verses that follow.
The psalmist uses imagery of wild, desolate places to describe their suffering. What does this tell us about the nature of their affliction?
The phrase "place of jackals" (or "dragons" in some translations) paints a vivid picture of a place utterly devoid of human life and comfort. It evokes a sense of being abandoned in a desolate wilderness, filled with dangerous, howling creatures.
The 'shadow of death' is a powerful metaphor. How does this phrase deepen our understanding of the psalmist's desperate situation?
The "shadow of death" isn't just about being near death; it implies being enveloped and oppressed by its very presence. It speaks to a state of utter despair and helplessness.
Ask a follow-up
Despite this devastating description of their suffering, the psalmist makes a profound declaration about their faithfulness. How do these two seemingly contradictory ideas fit together?
What's remarkable is that this description of utter devastation comes within a psalm where the people are asserting their faithfulness to God (Psalms 44:17-18). This highlights a crucial aspect of faith:
Understand the original words
ṣalmāwet · Hebrew Noun
A poetic term representing deep darkness, extreme danger, or the proximity of the grave. It signifies states of profound distress or the threat of death.
This psalm reflects the deep anguish of the Judean people during or after the Babylonian exile, a period when their nation was devastated, their Temple destroyed, and they were scattered in foreign lands, feeling abandoned by God.
c. 722 BC
Fall of Samaria
The Northern Kingdom of Israel falls to the Assyrian Empire, leading to the exile of many of its inhabitants and the scattering of the population.
c. 605 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon begins deporting Judeans to Babylon, including members of the royal family and the elite, such as Daniel. This marks the beginning of the Babylonian exile.
c. 597 BC
Second Babylonian Deportation
Another major deportation of Judeans to Babylon occurs after a rebellion against Babylonian rule, including the prophet Ezekiel and King Jehoiachin. Jerusalem remains under siege.
c. 586 BC— this verse
Fall of Jerusalem and Temple Destruction
Babylonian forces destroy Jerusalem and its Temple, ending the Kingdom of Judah. Most of the remaining population is exiled to Babylon, leaving the land desolate.
c. 539 BC
Cyrus the Great's Conquest
Cyrus the Great of Persia conquers the Babylonian Empire, creating a new empire that will eventually allow the Jewish exiles to return to their homeland.
c. 538 BC
Decree of Return
Cyrus issues a decree permitting the Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their Temple. This marks the beginning of the return from exile.
This passage describes a land devastated and made desolate, comparing it to a wilderness inhabited by wild animals, which echoes the 'place of jackals' and the sense of ruin in Psalms 44:19.
Isaiah 9:2It speaks of great darkness and gloom covering a people who walk in it, mirroring the imagery of being 'covered with the shadow of death' when calamity strikes.
Job 3:5This verse uses the 'shadow of death' to describe the overwhelming darkness and despair that descends upon someone in deep suffering, powerfully connecting to the sense of utter devastation in Psalms 44:19.
Psalm 23:4While Psalm 23 offers comfort in the 'valley of the shadow of death,' Psalms 44:19 uses the same imagery to convey the intense, life-threatening danger and despair the psalmist is experiencing.
Revelation 12:6This verse mentions the woman (representing God's people) fleeing into the wilderness, a place often associated with desolation and wild creatures ('dragons' or jackals), highlighting a theme of God's people being in dire, desolate circumstances.
poolePsalms 44:19: "Though thou hast sore broken us in the place of dragons, and covered us with the shadow of death."
No text from Poole on this verse.
ellicottPsalms 44:19: "Though thou hast sore broken us in the place of dragons, and covered us with the shadow of death."
(19) In the place of dragons. —This expression evidently means a wild desert place, from comparison with Jeremiah 9:11 ; Jeremiah 10:22 ; Jeremiah 49:33 . So Aquila has “an uninhabitable place.” The rendering dragons for tannim arose from its resemblance to tannîn (sea monster). The tan must be a wild beast, since it is connected with ostriches ( Isaiah 34:13 ) and wild asses, whom…
The phrasing "place of jackals" isn't just describing a desolate location, but rather a place so utterly ravaged and abandoned that it has become home to wild, predatory creatures, symbolizing the complete desolation of their lives. This intense imagery emphasizes that their suffering is so extreme it feels like a descent into a terrifying, wild wilderness where only death and desolation reign.
The psalmist is speaking on behalf of the people of Israel, lamenting their severe oppression by enemies. They declare they have remained faithful to God despite their suffering, questioning why God has allowed them to be so utterly crushed and cast into a desolate, death-like state, implying their suffering is disproportionate to any perceived failing. This verse stands as a stark contrast to the people's continued loyalty, setting up the plea for God's intervention in the verses that follow.
The psalmist is speaking on behalf of the people of Israel, lamenting their severe oppression by enemies. They declare they have remained faithful to God despite their suffering, questioning why God has allowed them to be so utterly crushed and cast into a desolate, death-like state, implying their suffering is disproportionate to any perceived failing. This verse stands as a stark contrast to the people's continued loyalty, setting up the plea for God's intervention in the verses that follow.
"yet you have broken us in the place of jackals and covered us with the shadow of death." — The phrasing "place of jackals" isn't just describing a desolate location, but rather a place so utterly ravaged and abandoned that it has become home to wild, predatory creatures, symbolizing the co…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026