1 To the Overseer, for Jeduthun. -- A Psalm of Asaph. My voice `is' to God, and I cry, my voice `is' to God, And He hath given ear unto me.
2 In a day of my distress the Lord I sought, My hand by night hath been spread out, And it doth not cease, My soul hath refused to be comforted.
3 I remember God, and make a noise, I meditate, and feeble is my spirit. Selah.
4 Thou hast taken hold of the watches of mine eyes, I have been moved, and I speak not.
5 I have reckoned the days of old, The years of the ages.
6 I remember my music in the night, With my heart I meditate, and my spirit doth search diligently:
7 To the ages doth the Lord cast off? Doth He add to be pleased no more?
8 Hath His kindness ceased for ever? The saying failed to all generations?
9 Hath God forgotten `His' favours? Hath He shut up in anger His mercies? Selah.
10 And I say: `My weakness is, The changes of the right hand of the Most High.'
11 I mention the doings of Jah, For I remember of old Thy wonders,
12 And I have meditated on all Thy working, And I talk concerning Thy doings.
13 O God, in holiness `is' Thy way, Who `is' a great god like God?
14 Thou `art' the God doing wonders. Thou hast made known among the peoples Thy strength,
15 Thou hast redeemed with strength Thy people, The sons of Jacob and Joseph. Selah.
16 The waters have seen Thee, O God, The waters have seen Thee, They are afraid -- also depths are troubled.
17 Poured out waters have thick clouds, The skies have given forth a noise, Also -- Thine arrows go up and down.
18 The voice of Thy thunder `is' in the spheres, Lightnings have lightened the world, The earth hath trembled, yea, it shaketh.
19 In the sea `is' Thy way, And Thy paths `are' in many waters, And Thy tracks have not been known.
20 Thou hast led as a flock Thy people, By the hand of Moses and Aaron!
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Psalms 77
Commentary on Psalms 77 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
PSALM 77
Ps 77:1-20. To Jeduthun—(See on Ps 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.
2. his importunacy.
my sore ran … night—literally, "my hand was spread," or, "stretched out" (compare Ps 44:20).
ceased not—literally, "grew not numb," or, "feeble" (Ge 45:26; Ps 38:8).
my soul … comforted—(compare Ge 37:35; Jer 31:15).
3-9. His sad state contrasted with former joys.
was troubled—literally, "violently agitated," or disquieted (Ps 39:6; 41:5).
my spirit was overwhelmed—or, "fainted" (Ps 107:5; Jon 2:7).
4. holdest … waking—or, "fast," that I cannot sleep. Thus he is led to express his anxious feelings in several earnest questions indicative of impatient sorrow.
10. Omitting the supplied words, we may read, "This is my affliction—the years of," &c., "years" being taken as parallel to affliction (compare Ps 90:15), as of God's ordering.
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.
13. Thy way … in the sanctuary—God's ways of grace and providence (Ps 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).
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 (Ps 22:11-14; Hab 3:14) which may have attended those miraculous events (Ex 14:24).
15. Jacob and Joseph—representing all.
19. waters … , footsteps—may refer to His actual leading the people through the sea, though also expressing the mysteries of providence.