PSALM 77
The Tribulation and Comfort of the Righteous
To the chief musician, to Jeduthun, at that time in charge of the Temple music, a psalm of Asaph, the psalm picturing the relief experienced by believers in the midst of affliction, by calling to mind God’s former and wonderful acts of deliverance.
V. 1. I cried unto God with my voice, even unto God with my voice, in importunate supplication; and He gave ear unto me, in a gracious answer and act of deliverance.
V. 2. In the day of my trouble, at the time when affliction beset him strongly, I sought the Lord, the All-powerful; my sore ran in the night and ceased not, rather, my hand is stretched out in the night, without being relaxed, he does not draw it back, he does not cease from crying to the Lord; my soul refused to be comforted, so thoroughly had his affliction discouraged him.
V. 3. I remembered God and was troubled, groaning at the thought that Jehovah, once his Helper, had now apparently forsaken him; I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed, so overcome that he could no longer think clearly. Selah.
V. 4. Thou holdest mine eyes waking, holding the lids of his eyes open, depriving him of sleep on account of the misery which he felt; I am so troubled that I cannot speak, he is speechless from the excessive amount of his affliction. But his meditation now turns to the past.
V. 5. I have considered the days of old, of ages long past, the years of ancient times,when the manifestations of God’s power and mercy were so numerous.
V. 6. I call to remembrance my song in the night, when a feeling of happy gratitude caused him to use even the night season for anthems of praise; I commune with mine own heart, meditating in the seclusion of his inmost soul, making comparisons with the past happiness and the present misery; and my spirit made diligent search, trying to become clear in his own mind regarding the ways of the Lord.
A summary of his meditation is now given. V. 7. Will the Lord cast off forever? Can it be possible that He will utterly forsake the afflicted? And will He be favorable no more, never again showing His good pleasure in the afflicted soul trusting in Him?
V. 8. Is His mercy clean gone forever Has He for gotten all His merciful promises? Doth His promise fail forevermore? Surely such a course would not harmonize with the outstanding attributes of His essence.
V. 9. Hath God forgotten to be gracious, to look upon His children with kind favor? Hath He in anger shut up His tender mercies? Selah. Note how closely these meditations agree with those in the experience of every believer.