Psa 77:2 | KingComments | STEP | This psalm is a retrospective look at the past, at the wrestling of the faithful remnant ( ). The people have been redeemed and are in the process ( ) of putting events in order ( ) with the result that they are magnifying God with great amazement ( ). For “for the choir director” ( ) see at Psalm 4:1. The name “Jeduthun” is also found in the heading of Psalm 39 and Psalm 62 ( ; ). See further at Psalm 39:1 and Psalm 62:1. For “a Psalm of Asaph” see at Psalm 50:1. Asaph, and in him the faithful remnant, begins this psalm by rising his voice to God ( ). He cries aloud to Him. He lets his voice be heard in the certainty that God will hear him. The fact that he says this twice indicates the seriousness and depth of his need. At the same time he expresses the certainty that God will hear him. He trusts that his prayer will be heard by God. Crying aloud to God with the voice is more than just wishing for something from Him. It is the expression of weakness and dependence on Him and the desire to resort to Him. Whoever does this proves that he has an upright heart. It is not a need that he can keep to himself, but a deep need to which he must give audible expression to everyone. After his expression of confidence ( ) the path follows which the psalmist has gone to arrive at this confidence. He begins by saying that he has sought “the Lord”, Adonai, “in the day of my trouble” ( ). This corresponds to the situation in Psalm 74. Prophetically, it is the time of the great tribulation caused by the antichrist and followed by the disciplinary rod of God, Assyria, which destroyed Israel and the temple. He has been in great trouble. That he has sought the Lord is a good thing. The only question is with what mind of his heart he has sought. The sequel shows that he had profound doubts about God’s involvement in his situation, and that this resulted in a deep crisis in his life of faith. It speaks of a time when the faith of the remnant is purified (cf. ). Not only during the day did he stretch out his hand to God as a sign of helplessness asking for His help. He continued with it during the night. No slackening occurred. He continued to cry out for help. And it did not come. Therefore his “soul refused to be comforted”. It means that he was not able to accept the situation. The Hebrew word for comfort means to sigh deeply, in this case of relief. It was impossible for him to feel relief. He continued to wrestle day and night in prayer. A person who refuses comfort is deeply discouraged and severely disappointed in God. He sees no way out. Life has become dark and meaningless. All words of comfort are rejected by a heart that feels rejected by God. He did think of God, but instead of the thought of God comforting him, he was disturbed ( ). It has only made his suffering worse. God, in his experience, is not a Helper, but Someone Who does nothing about his misery, Someone Who leaves him to his fate. The psalmist speaks for the remnant when he remembers the time when he wrestled because of the great trouble. He had forgotten what God had done in the past. He pondered over it, but he could not understand it. On the contrary, he had fallen into a vicious circle, which had caused his spirit to faint. He had fallen into a total depression. People can talk all they want about God and His goodness. But when God is silent, all the talking of people and all their own thinking only increases the inner pain. Overwhelmed by the difficulties and problems, disappointed by the fact that God had not yet answered, his soul became exhausted and began to complain. The spirit too became exhausted by the difficulties. Perhaps the memory of past faults came to mind and the question arose: Does God still judge past but confessed transgressions ( )? The thoughts went around in a circle. It was a downward spiral. It got darker and darker and the prospect of a solution disappeared.

‏ Psalms 77:2

Introduction

This psalm is a retrospective look at the past, at the wrestling of the faithful remnant (Psa 77:5). The people have been redeemed and are in the process (Psa 77:4-10) of putting events in order (Psa 77:11-13) with the result that they are magnifying God with great amazement (Psa 77:14-20).

Cry Aloud and Despair

For “for the choir director” (Psa 77:1a) see at Psalm 4:1.

The name “Jeduthun” is also found in the heading of Psalm 39 and Psalm 62 (Psa 39:1; Psa 62:1). See further at Psalm 39:1 and Psalm 62:1.

For “a Psalm of Asaph” see at Psalm 50:1.

Asaph, and in him the faithful remnant, begins this psalm by rising his voice to God (Psa 77:1b). He cries aloud to Him. He lets his voice be heard in the certainty that God will hear him. The fact that he says this twice indicates the seriousness and depth of his need. At the same time he expresses the certainty that God will hear him. He trusts that his prayer will be heard by God.

Crying aloud to God with the voice is more than just wishing for something from Him. It is the expression of weakness and dependence on Him and the desire to resort to Him. Whoever does this proves that he has an upright heart. It is not a need that he can keep to himself, but a deep need to which he must give audible expression to everyone.

After his expression of confidence (Psa 77:1b) the path follows which the psalmist has gone to arrive at this confidence. He begins by saying that he has sought “the Lord”, Adonai, “in the day of my trouble” (Psa 77:2). This corresponds to the situation in Psalm 74. Prophetically, it is the time of the great tribulation caused by the antichrist and followed by the disciplinary rod of God, Assyria, which destroyed Israel and the temple.

He has been in great trouble. That he has sought the Lord is a good thing. The only question is with what mind of his heart he has sought. The sequel shows that he had profound doubts about God’s involvement in his situation, and that this resulted in a deep crisis in his life of faith. It speaks of a time when the faith of the remnant is purified (cf. Mal 3:2-3).

Not only during the day did he stretch out his hand to God as a sign of helplessness asking for His help. He continued with it during the night. No slackening occurred. He continued to cry out for help. And it did not come. Therefore his “soul refused to be comforted”. It means that he was not able to accept the situation.

The Hebrew word for comfort means to sigh deeply, in this case of relief. It was impossible for him to feel relief. He continued to wrestle day and night in prayer. A person who refuses comfort is deeply discouraged and severely disappointed in God. He sees no way out. Life has become dark and meaningless. All words of comfort are rejected by a heart that feels rejected by God.

He did think of God, but instead of the thought of God comforting him, he was disturbed (Psa 77:3). It has only made his suffering worse. God, in his experience, is not a Helper, but Someone Who does nothing about his misery, Someone Who leaves him to his fate. The psalmist speaks for the remnant when he remembers the time when he wrestled because of the great trouble. He had forgotten what God had done in the past.

He pondered over it, but he could not understand it. On the contrary, he had fallen into a vicious circle, which had caused his spirit to faint. He had fallen into a total depression. People can talk all they want about God and His goodness. But when God is silent, all the talking of people and all their own thinking only increases the inner pain.

Overwhelmed by the difficulties and problems, disappointed by the fact that God had not yet answered, his soul became exhausted and began to complain. The spirit too became exhausted by the difficulties. Perhaps the memory of past faults came to mind and the question arose: Does God still judge past but confessed transgressions (Psa 77:9)? The thoughts went around in a circle. It was a downward spiral. It got darker and darker and the prospect of a solution disappeared.