Psalms 77
77
Confidence in God During National Distress
1For the leader; According to Jeduthun. A psalm of Asaph.
I
2I cry aloud to God,
I cry to God to hear me.
3On the day of my distress I seek the Lord;
by night my hands are stretched out unceasingly;#Ps 50:15; 88:2.
I refuse to be consoled.
4When I think of God, I groan;
as I meditate, my spirit grows faint.#Jon 2:8.
Selah
5You have kept me from closing my eyes in sleep;
I am troubled and cannot speak.
6I consider the days of old;
the years long past 7I remember.#Ps 143:5; Dt 32:7.
At night I ponder in my heart;
and as I meditate, my spirit probes:
8“Will the Lord reject us forever,#Ps 13:2; 44:24; 74:1; 80:5; 89:47; Lam 3:31.
never again show favor?
9Has God’s mercy ceased forever?
The promise to go unfulfilled for future ages?
10Has God forgotten how to show mercy,
in anger withheld his compassion?”
Selah
11#I conclude: lit., “I said.” The psalmist, after pondering the present distress and God’s promises to Israel, has decided that God has forgotten the people. I conclude: “My sorrow is this,
the right hand of the Most High has abandoned us.”#Ps 17:7; 18:36; Ex 15:6, 12.
II
12#I will recall: the verb sometimes means to make present the great deeds of Israel’s past by reciting them, cf. Ps 78:42; 105:5; 106:7.I will recall the deeds of the Lord;
yes, recall your wonders of old.#Ps 143:5.
13I will ponder all your works;
on your exploits I will meditate.
14Your way, God, is holy;
what god is as great as our God?#Ps 18:31; Ex 15:11.
15You are the God who does wonders;
among the peoples you have revealed your might.#Ps 86:10; 89:6.
16With your mighty arm you redeemed your people,
the children of Jacob and Joseph.#Gn 46:26–27; Neh 1:10.
Selah
17The waters saw you, God;
the waters saw you and lashed about,
even the deeps of the sea#The deeps of the sea: Heb. tehom; the same word is used in Gn 1:2, where it alludes to the primeval seas which in ancient Semitic cosmography are tamed by God in creation, cf. Ps 74:12–17; 89:12–13 and notes. trembled.#Ps 18:16; 114:3; Na 1:4.
18The clouds poured down their rains;
the thunderheads rumbled;
your arrows flashed back and forth.#Ps 18:14–15; 29; 144:6; Jb 37:3–4; Wis 5:21; Hab 3:10–11; Zec 9:14.
19The thunder of your chariot wheels resounded;
your lightning lit up the world;
the earth trembled and quaked.#Ps 18:8; 97:4; 99:1; Ex 19:16; Jgs 5:4–5.
20Through the sea was your way;
your path, through the mighty waters,
though your footsteps were unseen.#Neh 9:11; Wis 14:3; Is 51:10; Hab 3:15.
21You led your people like a flock
by the hand of Moses and Aaron.#Ps 78:52; Is 63:11–14; Hos 12:14; Mi 6:4.
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Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc
Psalms 77
77
Psalm 77#In Hebrew texts 77:1-20 is numbered 77:2-21.
For the director of music. For Jeduthun. Of Asaph. A psalm.
1I cried out to God for help;
I cried out to God to hear me.
2When I was in distress, I sought the Lord;
at night I stretched out untiring hands,
and I would not be comforted.
3I remembered you, God, and I groaned;
I meditated, and my spirit grew faint.#77:3 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verses 9 and 15.
4You kept my eyes from closing;
I was too troubled to speak.
5I thought about the former days,
the years of long ago;
6I remembered my songs in the night.
My heart meditated and my spirit asked:
7“Will the Lord reject forever?
Will he never show his favor again?
8Has his unfailing love vanished forever?
Has his promise failed for all time?
9Has God forgotten to be merciful?
Has he in anger withheld his compassion?”
10Then I thought, “To this I will appeal:
the years when the Most High stretched out his right hand.
11I will remember the deeds of the Lord;
yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.
12I will consider all your works
and meditate on all your mighty deeds.”
13Your ways, God, are holy.
What god is as great as our God?
14You are the God who performs miracles;
you display your power among the peoples.
15With your mighty arm you redeemed your people,
the descendants of Jacob and Joseph.
16The waters saw you, God,
the waters saw you and writhed;
the very depths were convulsed.
17The clouds poured down water,
the heavens resounded with thunder;
your arrows flashed back and forth.
18Your thunder was heard in the whirlwind,
your lightning lit up the world;
the earth trembled and quaked.
19Your path led through the sea,
your way through the mighty waters,
though your footprints were not seen.
20You led your people like a flock
by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
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