Psalms 77

American Standard Version (1901) (ASV) · English

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1 I will cry unto God with my voice, Even unto God with my voice; and he will give ear unto me. 2 In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord: My hand was stretched out in the night, and slacked not; My soul refused to be comforted. 3 I remember God, and am disquieted: I complain, and my spirit is overwhelmed. [Selah 4 Thou holdest mine eyes watching: I am so troubled that I cannot speak. 5 I have considered the days of old, The years of ancient times. 6 I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with mine own heart; And my spirit maketh diligent search. 7 Will the Lord cast off for ever? And will he be favorable no more? 8 Is his lovingkindness clean gone for ever? Doth his promise fail for evermore? 9 Hath God forgotten to be gracious? Hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? [Selah 10 And I said, This is my infirmity; But I will remember the years of the right hand of the Most High. 11 I will make mention of the deeds of Jehovah; For I will remember thy wonders of old. 12 I will meditate also upon all thy work, And muse on thy doings. 13 Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary: Who is a great god like unto God? 14 Thou art the God that doest wonders: Thou hast made known thy strength among the peoples. 15 Thou hast with thine arm redeemed thy people, The sons of Jacob and Joseph. [Selah 16 The waters saw thee, O God; The waters saw thee, they were afraid: The depths also trembled. 17 The clouds poured out water; The skies sent out a sound: Thine arrows also went abroad. 18 The voice of thy thunder was in the whirlwind; The lightnings lightened the world: The earth trembled and shook. 19 Thy way was in the sea, And thy paths in the great waters, And thy footsteps were not known. 20 Thou leddest thy people like a flock, By the hand of Moses and Aaron.

Commentary

Commentary — not Bible text

Psalms 77:1

PSALM 77

Psa 77:1-20. To Jeduthun--(See on Psa 39:1, title). In a time of great affliction, when ready to despair, the Psalmist derives relief from calling to mind God's former and wonderful works of delivering power and grace.

1. expresses the purport of the Psalm.

Psalms 77:2

2. his importunacy.

my sore ran ... night--literally, "my hand was spread," or, "stretched out" (compare Psa 44:20).

ceased not--literally, "grew not numb," or, "feeble" (Ge 45:26; Psa 38:8).

my soul ... comforted--(compare Ge 37:35; Jr 31:15).

Psalms 77:3-9

3-9. His sad state contrasted with former joys.

was troubled--literally, "violently agitated," or disquieted (Psa 39:6; 41:5).

my spirit was overwhelmed--or, "fainted" (Psa 107:5; Jon 2:7).

Psalms 77:10

10. Omitting the supplied words, we may read, "This is my affliction--the years of," &c., "years" being taken as parallel to affliction (compare Psa 90:15), as of God's ordering.

Psalms 77:11-12

11-12. He finds relief in contrasting God's former deliverances. Shall we receive good at His hands, and not evil? Both are orderings of unerring mercy and unfailing love.

Psalms 77:13

13. Thy way ... in the sanctuary--God's ways of grace and providence (Psa 22:3; 67:2), ordered on holy principles, as developed in His worship; or implied in His perfections, if "holiness" be used for "sanctuary," as some prefer translating (compare Ex 15:11).

Psalms 77:14-20

14-20. Illustrations of God's power in His special interventions for His people (Ex 14:1-31), and, in the more common, but sublime, control of nature (Psa 22:11-14; Ha 3:14) which may have attended those miraculous events (Ex 14:24).

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