PSALM 77 - SEEKING THE LORD IN TIMES OF TROUBLE

 

PSALM 77 - SEEKING THE LORD IN TIMES OF TROUBLE

The Cry of Distress

77:1-3

The psalm opens with his intense cry for help to God. He says twice that he actually cries out loud to the Lord in his distress. He also stretched out his hands in supplication. He prayed through the night without getting tired. 

We do not know what the psalmist’s problem was, but he says it was a “day of my trouble”. (2)  It must have been major for him to pray through the night. And still, he could not find comfort for his soul. 

Yet, he prayed from a position of faith, not doubt, for he says “he (God) will hear me”. 

Remembering The Acts of God 

77:3-6

The psalmist then moved to remembering God’s past acts of behalf if Israel. But, it has the opposite effect than you would expect. It increases his anxiety rather than soothing it. He moans. His spirit faints. (3) He cannot sleep. (4) He cannot speak about his distress to others, although he wants to remember songs he used to sing at night.

In this meditations at night, he wants to remember God’s deliverance and find comfort. But, it seems he is approaching it as “if God acted before, why is he not acting now”.  

The Questions

77:7-9

In these verses, the psalmist asks a series of questions, attempting to figure out what the Lord’s attitude is toward Israel and why he has not delivered them. Each question is stated twice for emphasis. 

The first question is “will the Lord spurn forever and never again be favorable? (7) Israel was the object of God’s favor when they kept the covenant. At the time the psalmist wrote, however, they were not experiencing his favor. The psalmist wondered if that would continue forever. Human beings almost always want God to act more quickly than he does.

The second question is “has his steadfast love forever ceased? Are his promises at an end for all time?” The words “steadfast love” translate the Hebrew word “hesed”. It refers to God’s covenantal love for Israel. God said he would show steadfast love to thousands of those who love him and keep his commandments. (Exodus 20:6) This was in the context of God forbidding the making and worshipping of idols. As long as Israel kept the commandments, and especially the prohibition against idols, God would show is steadfast love to it. But, if Israel disobeyed, God would act to discipline them. 

This commandment is repeated in Leviticus 26, where God again forbade the making of idols. He also commanded the keeping of the Sabbath and reverence for the sanctuary. If Israel kept these commandments, God agreed to bless them. If they disobeyed the commandments, they were breaking the covenants, and God would impose the curses of the covenant on them. These curses are also listed in Leviticus 26. Evidently, Israel was in a period of disobedience and discipline for breaking the covenant at the time of this psalm. The psalmist wondered how long this would go on.

The third question is “has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he in anger shut up his compassion?”. The mention of God’s anger indicates the psalmist knew Israel was being disciplined for disobedience, but wondered if it was a permanent situation.

Remembering God’s Mighty Deeds

77:10-12

The psalmist turned from asking questions to a reflection on God’s past deeds and miracles. He referred to God as “the Most High” (Elyon). It refers to God as exalted above all others. It is the name Melchizedek invoked to bless Abram after he defeated the four kings who defeated Sodom and captured Lot. (Genesis 14:19) Abram called God the “possessor of heaven and earth”, referred to God’s creating the earth and exercising sovereignty over it. 

The psalmist said he would appeal to the years of the right hand of the Most High. He was saying that he would remember the times when Israel was in God’s favor and benefitted from his power and sovereignty. They prospered economically and were safe from their enemies.

The psalmist also wanted to meditate on God’s specific deeds in the past which saved Israel. This might include the miracles God did to bring Israel out of Egypt and through the wilderness. It might included David’s victories. The psalmist has thought of God’s power and the times that he exercised it for Israel’s benefit. 

Confidence in God’s Help

77:13-20

Verses 13-15 praise God for his holiness and power, his working of wonders\miracles. God has done many powerful and miraculous things for the benefit of Israel. The psalmist  specifically mentions God redeeming his people, Israel. This is a reference to the Exodus. 

But, God’s miraculous deeds include creation of the earth as he exercised his power over the waters. Genesis 1:9 tells us of God separating the waters to reveal the dry land, creating earth and sea. The psalmist described it in vivid poetic terms: thunder, lightings, and shaking the earth. All of these are terms associated with the appearance of God on the earth. For example, when God appeared on Mount Sinai, there were thunders and lightnings, thick clouds, smoke and fire. The mountain trembled. (Exodus 19)

The last verse narrows the focus of God’s past deeds to the Exodus itself. He created a way through the sea for Israel, referring to the parting of the Red Sea by Moses. 

God led his people like a flock through Moses and Aaron. God is not only the powerful Most High, he is the Good Shepherd that leads his people. The psalmist longed for the time when God would again use his power to lead Israel through its difficulties. 

Jesus is the Good Shepherd for believers. (John 10:11,14). We are his sheep, his flock. He still protects, leads, and guides us. We can take great comfort from that, even in difficult times.