77 1 The Prophet in the Name of the Church rehearseth the greatness of his affliction, and his grievous temptations, 6 Whereby he was driven to this end to consider his former conversation, 11 and the continual course of God’s works in the preservation of his servants, and so he confirmeth his faith against these temptations.
For the excellent Musician (A)Jeduthun. A Psalm committed to Asaph.
1 My [a]voice came to God, when I cried: my voice came to God; and he heard me.
2 In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord: [b]my sore ran and ceased not in the night: my soul refused comfort.
3 I did think upon God, and was [c]troubled: I prayed, and my spirit was full of anguish. Selah.
4 Thou keepest mine eyes [d]waking: I was astonied, and could not speak.
5 Then I considered the days of old: and the years of ancient time.
6 I called to remembrance my [e]song in the night: I communed with mine own heart, and my spirit searched [f]diligently.
7 Will the Lord absent himself forever? and will he show no more favor?
8 Is his [g]mercy clean gone forever? doth his promise fail forevermore?
9 Hath God forgotten to be merciful? hath he shut up his tender mercies in displeasure? Selah.
10 And I said, This is my [h]death: yet I remembered the years of the right hand of the most High.
11 I remembered the works of the Lord: certainly I remembered thy wonders of old.
12 I did also meditate all thy works, and did devise of thine acts, saying,
13 Thy way, O God, is [i]in the Sanctuary: who is so great a [j]God, as our God!
14 Thou art the God that doest wonders; thou hast declared thy power among the people.
15 Thou hast redeemed thy people with thine arm, even the sons of Jacob and Joseph. Selah.
16 The [k]waters saw thee, O God: the waters saw thee, and were afraid: yea, the depths trembled.
17 The clouds poured out water: the heavens gave a [l]sound: yea, thine arrows went abroad.
18 The voice of thy thunder was round about; the lightnings lightened the world: the earth trembled and shook.
19 Thy way is in the sea, and thy paths in the great waters, and thy footsteps are not [m]known.
20 Thou didst lead thy people like sheep by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
Footnotes
- Psalm 77:1 The Prophet teacheth us by his example to flee unto God for help in our necessities.
- Psalm 77:2 Or, mine hand was stretched out.
- Psalm 77:3 He showeth that we must patiently abide, although God deliver us not out of our troubles at the first cry.
- Psalm 77:4 Meaning, that his sorrows were as watchmen that kept his eyes from sleeping.
- Psalm 77:6 Of thanksgiving, which I was accustomed to sing in my prosperity.
- Psalm 77:6 Both the causes why I was chastened, and when my sorrows should have an end.
- Psalm 77:8 As if he should say, It is impossible: whereby he exhorteth himself to patience.
- Psalm 77:10 Though I first doubted of my life, yet considering that God had his years, that is, change of times, and was accustomed also to lift up them, whom he hath beaten, I took heart again.
- Psalm 77:13 That is in heaven, whereunto we must ascend by faith, if we will know the ways of God.
- Psalm 77:13 He condemneth all that worship anything save the only true God, whose glory appeareth through the world.
- Psalm 77:16 He declareth wherein the power of God was declared when he delivered the Israelites through the red sea.
- Psalm 77:17 That is, thundered and lightninged.
- Psalm 77:19 For when thou hadst brought over thy people, the water returned to her course, and the enemies that thought to have followed them, could not pass through, Exod. 14:28, 29.