Psalm 44 and the Book of Job: God on Trial

Several times in the Hebrew Bible, especially in the latter Prophets, we find a God’s “lawsuit” against his unfaithful people (depicted as an adulterous wife or a rebellious son). Psalm 44 and the book of Job are two of the few examples of Israel’s “lawsuit” against God, with the same structure of the original model. In these two examples, Israel puts God on trial, showing a unique relationship with his God, with no parallel in the Ancient World. This session will discuss the stages of Israel’s lawsuit in Psalm 44 with its parallel passages in the book of Job.