Psalm 44:9-26 presents a scenario wherein the Lord
our God had brought his faithful servants into a
place of fiery trial and testing.  Yet it is of
significance that this psalm does not end as do so
many of the other psalms, with a proclamation of the
Lord's merciful deliverance or with a prophecy of the
Lord's merciful deliverance in due time.  Rather,
this psalm simply ends with the continuing cry of the
Lord's faithful servants for merciful deliverance. 
Even so, in Psalm 44:23-26 the cry is lifted up,
“Awake, why sleepest thou, O Lord?  Arise, cast us
not off for ever.  Wherefore hidest thou thy face,
and forgettest our affliction and our oppression? 
For our soul is bowed down to the dust: our belly
cleaveth unto the earth.  Arise for our help, and
redeem us for thy mercies' sake.”  

Indeed, this is just how this psalm ends.  Yet this
portion of Psalm 44 ends in this fashion, without a
proclamation or prophecy of the Lord's merciful
deliverance, specifically because it does not set its
focus upon the Lord's merciful deliverance.  Rather,
this portion of Psalm 44 sets its focus upon the
faithful response of the Lord's servants while under
fiery trial and testing.

1. The Fiery Trial of Testing from the Lord's Hand
   A.  Circumstantial Debility (v. 9)
   B.  Circumstantial Defeat (v. 10)
   C.  Circumstantial Dispersion (vs. 11-12)
   D.  Circumstantial Derision (vs. 13-14)
   E.  Circumstantial Discouragement (vs. 15-16)

2. The Faithful Response to Testing by the Lord's
Servants
   A.  Continuing in Dedication to the Lord (vs.
17-19)
   B.  Continuing in Dying Daily unto Self (vs.
20-22)
   C.  Continuing in Dependence upon the Lord (vs.
23-26)