Psalms 44:2

“[How] thou didst drive out the Heathen with thy hand, etc.] Of power; that is, the Canaanites, as the Targum; the seven nations which inhabited the land of Canaan before the children of Israel came into it, (<050701>Deuteronomy 7:1); and plantedst them: not the Canaanites elsewhere; but, as the same Targum explains it the house of Israel in their land; which, like a vine, was removed from one place, and planted in another; and the settlement of the children of Israel in the land of Canaan is frequently expressed by this metaphor, (<021517>Exodus 15:17 <198008>Psalm 80:8 <230501>Isaiah 5:1,7) (<240221>Jeremiah 2:21); [how] thou didst afflict the people; the Egyptians, according to Arama;…”

“plantedst them--that is, "our fathers," who are also, from the parallel construction of the last clause, to be regarded as the object of "cast them out," which means--literally, "send" them out, or, "extend them." Heathen and people denote the nations who were driven out to make room for the Israelites.”

“How thou didst drive out the heathen with thy hand - The word rendered “heathen” means simply nations without necessarily conveying the idea of paganism, as that word is now understood. It means the nations, to wit, of the land of Canaan, or the Canaanites; and as these nations were in fact idolaters, or strangers to the true religion, the word came in time to have that idea attached to it. It is in that sense that we use the term now, though the word nations would accurately express the meaning of the original. The word rendered “drive out” - ירשׁ yârash - means properly to take, seize, or take possession of; and then, in the form here used (Hiphil), it means to cause to possess; to give…”

“44:2 God drove out the pagan nations during the conquests recorded in Joshua.”

“drive out: Psa 78:55, Psa 80:8, Psa 105:44, Psa 135:10-12, Psa 136:17-22; Exo 15:17, Exo 15:19, Exo 34:11; Deu 7:1; Jos 10:42, Jos 11:23, Jos 21:43; Neh 9:22-27 how thou didst afflict: etc. Or, rather, "how thou didst afflict the peoples (of Canaan), and madest them (the Hebrews) to shoot forth;" for shalach is to send forth in any manner, and is applied to a vine spreading its roots, etc. Psa 89:9; Eze 17:6; Jer 17:8; and this sense is parallel with plantedst in the former line. Exo 23:28; Num 13:32; Jos 10:11, Jos 24:12; Sa1 5:6, Sa1 5:7 Psalms 44:3”