Comfort in Trouble from Recalling God’s Mighty Deeds.

For the choir director; [a]according to Jeduthun. A Psalm of Asaph.

77 My voice rises to God, and I will (A)cry aloud;
My voice rises to God, and He will hear me.
In the (B)day of my trouble I sought the Lord;
(C)In the night my (D)hand was stretched out [b]without weariness;
My soul (E)refused to be comforted.
When I remember God, then I am (F)disturbed;
When I (G)sigh, then (H)my spirit grows faint. [c]Selah.
You have held my eyelids open;
I am so troubled that I (I)cannot speak.
I have considered the (J)days of old,
The years of long ago.
I will remember my (K)song in the night;
I (L)will meditate with my heart,
And my spirit [d]ponders:

Will the Lord (M)reject forever?
And will He (N)never be favorable again?
Has His (O)lovingkindness ceased forever?
Has His [e](P)promise come to an end [f]forever?
Has God (Q)forgotten to be gracious,
Or has He in anger [g]withdrawn His (R)compassion? Selah.
10 Then I said, “(S)It is my [h]grief,
That the (T)right hand of the Most High has changed.”

11 I shall remember the (U)deeds of [i]the Lord;
Surely I will (V)remember Your wonders of old.
12 I will (W)meditate on all Your work
And muse on Your deeds.
13 Your way, O God, is (X)holy;
(Y)What god is great like our God?
14 You are the (Z)God who works wonders;
You have (AA)made known Your strength among the peoples.
15 You have by Your [j]power (AB)redeemed Your people,
The sons of Jacob and (AC)Joseph. Selah.

16 The (AD)waters saw You, O God;
The waters saw You, they were in anguish;
The deeps also trembled.
17 The (AE)clouds poured out water;
The skies (AF)gave forth a sound;
Your (AG)arrows [k]flashed here and there.
18 The (AH)sound of Your thunder was in the whirlwind;
The (AI)lightnings lit up the world;
The (AJ)earth trembled and shook.
19 Your (AK)way was in the sea
And Your paths in the mighty waters,
And Your footprints may not be known.
20 You (AL)led Your people like a flock
By the hand of (AM)Moses and Aaron.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 77:1 1 Chr 16:41
  2. Psalm 77:2 Lit and did not grow numb
  3. Psalm 77:3 Selah may mean: Pause, Crescendo or Musical interlude
  4. Psalm 77:6 Lit searched
  5. Psalm 77:8 Lit word
  6. Psalm 77:8 Lit from generation to generation
  7. Psalm 77:9 Lit shut up
  8. Psalm 77:10 Or infirmity, the years of the right hand of the Most High
  9. Psalm 77:11 Heb Yah
  10. Psalm 77:15 Lit arm
  11. Psalm 77:17 Lit went

Psalm 77[a]

For the director of music. For Jeduthun. Of Asaph. A psalm.

I cried out to God(A) for help;
    I cried out to God to hear me.
When I was in distress,(B) I sought the Lord;
    at night(C) I stretched out untiring hands,(D)
    and I would not be comforted.(E)

I remembered(F) you, God, and I groaned;(G)
    I meditated, and my spirit grew faint.[b](H)
You kept my eyes from closing;
    I was too troubled to speak.(I)
I thought about the former days,(J)
    the years of long ago;
I remembered my songs in the night.
    My heart meditated and my spirit asked:

“Will the Lord reject forever?(K)
    Will he never show his favor(L) again?
Has his unfailing love(M) vanished forever?
    Has his promise(N) failed for all time?
Has God forgotten to be merciful?(O)
    Has he in anger withheld his compassion?(P)

10 Then I thought, “To this I will appeal:
    the years when the Most High stretched out his right hand.(Q)
11 I will remember the deeds of the Lord;
    yes, I will remember your miracles(R) of long ago.
12 I will consider(S) all your works
    and meditate on all your mighty deeds.”(T)

13 Your ways, God, are holy.
    What god is as great as our God?(U)
14 You are the God who performs miracles;(V)
    you display your power among the peoples.
15 With your mighty arm you redeemed your people,(W)
    the descendants of Jacob and Joseph.

16 The waters(X) saw you, God,
    the waters saw you and writhed;(Y)
    the very depths were convulsed.
17 The clouds poured down water,(Z)
    the heavens resounded with thunder;(AA)
    your arrows(AB) flashed back and forth.
18 Your thunder was heard in the whirlwind,(AC)
    your lightning(AD) lit up the world;
    the earth trembled and quaked.(AE)
19 Your path(AF) led through the sea,(AG)
    your way through the mighty waters,
    though your footprints were not seen.

20 You led your people(AH) like a flock(AI)
    by the hand of Moses and Aaron.(AJ)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 77:1 In Hebrew texts 77:1-20 is numbered 77:2-21.
  2. Psalm 77:3 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verses 9 and 15.