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Remembering God’s Help for Israel

For the music director, on Jeduthun.[a]

Of Asaph. A psalm.[b]

77 I cry out with my voice to God;
with my voice to God, that he may hear me.
In the day I have trouble, I seek[c] the Lord.
At night my hand stretches out continually;[d]
my soul refuses to be comforted.
I remember God and I groan loudly;
I meditate and my spirit grows faint.
You hold open my eyelids.
I am troubled and cannot speak.
I think about the days from long ago,
the years of ancient times.
I remember my song in the night.
With my heart I meditate,
and my spirit searches to understand.
Will the Lord reject us forever,
and will he never be pleased with us again?
Has his loyal love ceased forever?
Is his promise[e] ended throughout generations?
Has God forgotten to have compassion?
Or has he closed off his mercies in anger? Selah
10 So I said, “This pierces me—[f]
the right hand of the Most High has changed.”
11 I will remember the deeds of Yah.[g]
Surely I will remember your wonders[h] from long ago.
12 I will also muse on all your work,
and meditate on your deeds.
13 O God, your way is distinctive.[i]
Who is a great god like our God?
14 You are the God who works wonders;[j]
you have made known your might among the peoples.
15 With your arm you redeemed your people,
the children of Jacob and Joseph. Selah
16 Waters saw you, O God;
waters saw you and they trembled.
Surely the deeps shook.
17 The clouds poured out water.
The skies thundered.[k]
Your arrows also flew about.[l]
18 The sound of your thunder was in the whirlwind;[m]
lightnings lit the world;
the earth shook and quaked.
19 Your way was through the sea,
and your path[n] through many waters.
Yet your footprints were not discerned.[o]
20 You led your people like a flock
by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 77:1 One of David’s musicians (1 Chr 16:41)
  2. Psalm 77:1 The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one
  3. Psalm 77:2 Or “make supplication to”
  4. Psalm 77:2 Literally “it does not grow weary”
  5. Psalm 77:8 Hebrew “word”
  6. Psalm 77:10 Or “this is my sickness”
  7. Psalm 77:11 A shortened form of “Yahweh”
  8. Psalm 77:11 Hebrew “wonder”
  9. Psalm 77:13 Or “holy” or “set apart”
  10. Psalm 77:14 Hebrew “wonder”
  11. Psalm 77:17 Literally “gave voice”
  12. Psalm 77:17 Literally “walked back and forth”
  13. Psalm 77:18 Or “in your chariot wheel”
  14. Psalm 77:19 According to the reading tradition (Qere)
  15. Psalm 77:19 Hebrew “were not known”

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.