THRU THE BIBLE EXPOSITION

Psalms: God's Nurture Of The Inner Man In The Life Of Faith

LXXVII: Learning To Wait For God's Help In Times Of Spiritual Drought

(Psalm 77:1-20)

I. Introduction

A. James 1:2-4 calls believers who face trials to let their trials produce patience in them that God desires to see.

B. Psalm 77:1-20 offers a great lesson on the accomplishment of such patience, and we view it for our insight:

II. Praising God For His Defeat Of His People's Great Foes, Psalm 77:1-20.

A. The introductory remarks of this psalm comprise the first verse in the Hebrew text (Kittel, Biblia Hebraica, p. 1041), so we stay with the numbering system of the English Bible.

B. We thus translate Psalm 77:1-20 as follows:

1. "I [lift up] my voice unto Elohim, and I will cry out. I [lift up] my voice unto Elohim and He will give ear unto me," Psalm 77:1.

2. "In the day of my straits of distress, I sought Adonai; at night I stretched out untiring hands and my soul refused to be comforted," Psalm 77:2.

3. "I remembered Elohim, then I groaned; I mused, and my spirit grew faint. Selah." (Psalm 77:3)

4. "You kept my eyes from closing; I was too troubled to speak," Psalm 77:4.

5. "I thought about the former days, the years of long ago;" Psalm 77:5.

6. "I remembered my songs in the night. My heart mused and my spirit inquired:" (Psalm 77:6)

7. "'Will Adonai reject forever? Will He never show His favor again?'" (Psalm 77:7)

8. "'Has His loyal love vanished forever? Has His promise failed for all time?'" (Psalm 77:8)

9. "'Has El(ohim) forgotten to be merciful? Has He in anger withheld His compassion?' Selah," Psalm 77:9.

10. "Then I said, 'To this I will appeal: the years of the right hand of the Most High (when God's miracles done by His power [fig. of the "right hand"] occurred)," Psalm 77:10.

11. "I will remember the deeds of Jah(weh); yes, I will remember Your miracles of long ago," Psalm 77:11.

12. "I will meditate on all Your works and consider all Your mighty deeds," Psalm 77:12.

13. "Your ways, O Elohim, are holy; what El(ohim) is so great as our Elohim?" (Psalm 77:13)

14. "You (emph. pron.) are the El(ohim) Who performs miracles; You display Your power among the peoples," Psalm 77:14.

15. "With Your mighty arm You redeemed Your people, the descendants of Jacob and Joseph. Selah," v. 15.

16. "The waters saw You, O Elohim, the waters saw You and writhed; the very depths were convulsed," v. 16.

17. "The clouds poured down water, the skies resounded with thunder; Your arrows flashed back and forth," Psalm 77:17.

18. "Your thunder was heard in the whirlwind, Your lightning lit up the world; the earth trembled and quaked," Psalm 77:18.

19. "Your path led through the sea, Your way through the mighty waters, though Your footprints were not (visibly) known," Psalm 77:19.

20. "You led Your people like a flock, with the hand of Moses and Aaron," Psalm 77:20.

C. We note significant observations and applications of this psalm (as follows):

1. The psalmist began his psalm with expressions of impatience over the lack of recent divine help in his trials to where he began to question the faithfulness of God ever to act again in his behalf, Psalm 77:7-9.

2. The solution came in recalling God's deliverance of Israel from Egypt after 400 years of oppression, Ex. 2:23-25 with 12:40. This emphasis is suggested in the reference in v. 15 to God's redeeming the descendants of Jacob and Joseph: God used Jacob's son Joseph to save Jacob's family from famine in Genesis 45:4-7 and God saved Jacob's and Joseph's seed in Israel by Moses and Aaron 400 years later.

3. God's raw power to part the ravaging Red Sea and to bring a great storm on Israel's pursuers while still leading her as His vulnerable sheep like a gentle Shepherd through the seabed, reveals God's vast abilities to minister in behalf of His people, and that after four hundred of years of divine silence!

Lesson: Regardless how long it takes, God always eventually delivers His people with great power and sensitivity as they look to Him in faith. Thus, believers must never give up on God, but learn to wait patiently for Him to act.

Application: If we think God may never help us, may we recall His great rescue of Israel from long-term bondage.