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Asaph wrote this song for the music leader, Jeduthun.

A prayer in times of trouble [ a ]

77 I will call out to God for help.
I will call aloud to God,
and he will listen to me.
2 When trouble came to me,
I looked for the Lord to help me.
All through the night,
I lifted my hands to him while I prayed.
But I did not feel peace in myself.
3 When I think about God,
I am sad and upset.
I do not know if he will help me.
Selah.
4 God, you do not let me close my eyes to sleep.
I am so upset that I cannot even speak. [ b ]
5 I think about my life long ago,
in the years that have passed.
6 At night, I remember the songs that I sang before.
I think carefully about what is happening.
7 I ask myself, ‘Will the Lord always turn against me?
Will he never be kind to me again?
8 Does he no longer have a faithful love for his people?
Will he never do what he has promised us?
9 Has God forgotten to be kind and help us?
Is he so angry that he will not be kind to us any more?’ [ c ]
Selah.
10 Then I said, ‘This makes me very upset!
Has the Most High God stopped helping us?
11 I will remember the things that the Lord has done.
Yes, I will remember the miracles that you did long ago.
12 I will think about everything that you have done.
I will think carefully about all those great things.’
13 God, your ways are holy.
There is no god as great as our God.
14 You are the God who does miracles.
You show the nations
that you are very powerful.
15 You used your power to rescue your people.
Yes, you saved the descendants
of Jacob and Joseph.
Selah.
16 The waters of the sea saw you, God.
When they saw you,
they shook with fear!
Even the deepest seas were afraid.
17 Rain poured down from the clouds.
The noise of thunder was in the skies.
Your arrows of lightning
shot everywhere.
18 The sound of your thunder was in the storm.
Your lightning made all the world bright.
The earth shook.
19 You went through the sea.
Your path went through the deep water,
but nobody saw where your feet had gone.
20 You led your people,
as a shepherd leads his sheep.
Moses and Aaron did that for you.

Footnotes

  1. 77:1 In verses 10-15, the writer remembers the great things that God has done. He remembers that God is still great and powerful. Verses 16-20 are about God leading his people from Egypt to their new home in Canaan. They had to go through the Red Sea. God was so powerful that he made a dry road through the sea for his people. After they crossed the Red Sea, Moses and Aaron led them through the wilderness.
  2. 77:4 The writer cannot sleep and he does not know what to pray.
  3. 77:9 There are 6 questions which the writer asked. They mean, ‘Will God ever help us again?’

To the director, Jeduthun. [ a ] One of Asaph’s songs.

77 I cry out to God for help.
I cry out to you, God; listen to me!
2 My Lord, in my time of trouble I came to you.
I reached out for you all night long.
My soul refused to be comforted.
3 I thought about you, God,
and tried to tell you how I felt, but I could not.
4 You would not let me sleep.
I tried to say something, but I was too upset.
5 I kept thinking about the past,
about things that happened long ago.
6 During the night, I thought about my songs.
I talked to myself, trying to understand what is happening.
7 I wondered, “Has our Lord rejected us forever?
Will he ever accept us again?
8 Is his love gone forever?
Will he never again speak to us?
9 Has God forgotten what mercy is?
Has his compassion changed to anger?” Selah

10 Then I said to myself, “What bothers me most is the thought
that God Most High has lost his power.”

11 Lord , I remember what you have done.
I remember the amazing things you did long ago.
12 I think about those things.
I think about them all the time.
13 God, all that you do is holy.
No god is as great as you are.
14 You are the God who does amazing things.
You showed the nations your great power.
15 By your power you saved your people,
the descendants of Jacob and Joseph. Selah

16 God, the water saw you and became afraid.
The deep water shook with fear.
17 The thick clouds dropped their water.
Thunder roared in the sky above.
Your arrows of lightning flashed through the clouds.
18 There were loud claps of thunder.
Lightning lit up the world.
The earth shook and trembled.
19 You walked through the water and crossed the deep sea,
but you left no footprints.
20 You led your people like sheep,
using Moses and Aaron to guide them.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 77:1 Psalm 77 Jeduthun Or “and to Jeduthun,” one of the three main temple musicians. See 1 Chron. 9:16; 16:38-42.

77 I cried unto God with my voice, even unto God with my voice; and he gave ear unto me.

2 In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord: my sore ran in the night, and ceased not: my soul refused to be comforted.

3 I remembered God, and was troubled: I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Selah.

4 Thou holdest mine eyes waking: I am so troubled that I cannot speak.

5 I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient times.

6 I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with mine own heart: and my spirit made diligent search.

7 Will the Lord cast off for ever? and will he be favourable no more?

8 Is his mercy clean gone for ever? doth his promise fail for evermore?

9 Hath God forgotten to be gracious? hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? Selah.

10 And I said, This is my infirmity: but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High.

11 I will remember the works of the Lord : surely I will remember thy wonders of old.

12 I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings.

13 Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary: who is so great a God as our God?

14 Thou art the God that doest wonders: thou hast declared thy strength among the people.

15 Thou hast with thine arm redeemed thy people, the sons of Jacob and Joseph. Selah.

16 The waters saw thee, O God, the waters saw thee; they were afraid: the depths also were troubled.

17 The clouds poured out water: the skies sent out a sound: thine arrows also went abroad.

18 The voice of thy thunder was in the heaven: the lightnings lightened the world: the earth trembled and shook.

19 Thy way is in the sea, and thy path in the great waters, and thy footsteps are not known.

20 Thou leddest thy people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

Comfort in Trouble from Recalling God’s Mighty Deeds.

For the music 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 listen to me.
2 In the ( B ) day of my trouble I sought the Lord;
( C ) In the night my ( D ) hand was stretched out and did not grow weary;
My soul ( E ) refused to be comforted.
3 When I remember God, then I am ( F ) restless;
When I ( G ) sigh, then ( H ) my spirit feels weak. Selah
4 You have held my eyelids open ;
I am so troubled that I ( I ) cannot speak.
5 I have considered the ( J ) days of old,
The years of long ago.
6 I will remember my ( K ) song in the night;
I ( L ) will meditate with my heart,
And my spirit [ b ] ponders:

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

11 I shall remember the ( U ) deeds of [ g ] the Lord ;
I will certainly ( V ) remember Your wonders of old.
12 I will ( W ) meditate on all Your work,
And on Your deeds with thanksgiving.
13 Your way, 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 By Your [ h ] power You have ( AB ) redeemed Your people,
The sons of Jacob and ( AC ) Joseph. Selah

16 The ( AD ) waters saw You, God;
The waters saw You, they were in anguish;
The ocean depths also trembled.
17 The ( AE ) clouds poured out water;
The skies [ i ] ( AF ) sounded out;
Your ( AG ) arrows [ j ] flashed here and there.
18 The ( AH ) sound of Your thunder was in the whirlwind;
The ( AI ) lightning 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 were not known.
20 You ( AL ) led Your people like a flock
By the hand of ( AM ) Moses and Aaron.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 77 Title 1 Chr 16:41
  2. Psalm 77:6 Lit searched
  3. Psalm 77:8 Lit word
  4. Psalm 77:8 Lit from generation to generation
  5. Psalm 77:9 Lit shut up
  6. Psalm 77:10 Or infirmity, the years of the right hand of the Most High
  7. Psalm 77:11 Heb Yah
  8. Psalm 77:15 Lit arm
  9. Psalm 77:17 Lit gave a sound
  10. Psalm 77:17 Lit went

Psalm 77 [ a ]

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

1 I cried out to God ( A ) for help;
I cried out to God to hear me.
2 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 )

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

7 “Will the Lord reject forever? ( K )
Will he never show his favor ( L ) again?
8 Has his unfailing love ( M ) vanished forever?
Has his promise ( N ) failed for all time?
9 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.