Scriptura 113 (2014:1), pp. 1-12 http://scriptura.journals.ac.za HONOUR AND SHAME IN PSALM 44 Leonard P Maré School of Biblical Studies and Bible Languages North-West University Abstract Honour and shame were core social values of the ancient Mediterranean world. Nearly everything pertaining to relationships was determined by these two concepts. Honour was the goal, passion and hope of everyone wishing to succeed in life. Being shamed was a social catastrophe. Honour was thus understood as the direct contrast of shame, specifically negative shame, because positive shame, usually ascribed to females, was understood to be a virtue. Honour and shame took a central place in relationships between humans, but also in the relationship between God and human. These concepts of honour and shame play a central role in Psalm 44. The first stanza with the joyful exuberance of Israel remembering and cele- brating God's glorious deeds on their behalf, serves as an expression of Israel's honour, and the other nations' shame. In the lament of stanza 2 God is blamed for the people's suffering. God has rejected and humbled them; they are disgraced and shamed. God's rejection is experienced in various ways; the end result is that Israel is covered with disgrace and shame. In the third stanza the plea of innocence is an expression of their conviction that they don't deserve their position of shame, and that they should be restored to a position of honour. In stanza 4 the people petition God to act on their behalf again and thus change their shame into honour. Key Words: Honour; Shame; Psalm 44; Covenant Introduction Honour and shame were core social values of the ancient Mediterranean world. Nearly everything pertaining to relationships, a person's identity and social status was determined by these two concepts. Honour was perceived to be the foundation of someone's reputation and position in society; and also indicative of the power and precedence one had in that society. Honour can therefore be described as one's claim to personal worth in one's own eyes and in the eyes of others (cf. Bergant 1994:33; Matthews & Benjamin 1994:11; Simkins 1994:49). Honour therefore was the goal, passion and hope of everyone wishing to succeed in life. Being shamed was a social catastrophe. Honour was thus understood as the direct contrast of shame, specifically negative shame, because positive shame, usually ascribed to females, was understood to be a virtue.1 From a male perspective honour thus stood for someone's rightful position in society discernible by boundaries of power, sexual status and position on the social ladder. There are two types of honour: Ascribed honour refers to the honour with which one is born. It happens passively to someone through birth, ethnicity, family reputation, gender, wealth, or bequest by prominent persons of power. Acquired honour is actively sought and acquired 1 Shame, when attributed to men, is regarded as a negative, resulting in a state of dishonour and disrespect. However, when shame is attributed to women, it is regarded as a positive and serves as an