Psa 77:3-4 | NETfull | STEP | I said, “I will remember God while I groan; I will think about him while my strength leaves me.” (Selah)

Psalms 77:3-4

3 I said, “I will remember God while I groan;
I will think about him while my strength leaves me.” ^{▼▼ Heb “I will remember God and I will groan, I will reflect and my spirit will grow faint.” The first three verbs are cohortatives, the last a perfect with vav (ו) consecutive. The psalmist’s statement in v. 4 could be understood as concurrent with v. 1, or, more likely, as a quotation of what he had said earlier as he prayed to God (see v. 2). The words “I said” are supplied in the translation at the beginning of the verse to reflect this interpretation (see v. 10).} (Selah)
4 You held my eyelids open; ^{▼▼ Heb “you held fast the guards of my eyes.” The “guards of the eyes” apparently refers to his eyelids. The psalmist seems to be saying that God would not bring him relief, which would have allowed him to shut his eyes and get some sleep (see v. 2).}
I was troubled and could not speak. ^{▼▼ The imperfect is used in the second clause to emphasize that this was an ongoing condition in the past.}