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Psalm 77

God’s Mighty Deeds Recalled

To the leader: according to Jeduthun. Of Asaph. A Psalm.

I cry aloud to God,
    aloud to God, that he may hear me.(A)
In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord;
    in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying;
    my soul refuses to be comforted.(B)
I think of God, and I moan;
    I meditate, and my spirit faints. Selah(C)

You keep my eyelids from closing;
    I am so troubled that I cannot speak.
I consider the days of old
    and remember the years of long ago.(D)
I commune[a] with my heart in the night;
    I meditate and search my spirit:[b](E)
“Will the Lord spurn forever
    and never again be favorable?(F)
Has his steadfast love ceased forever?
    Are his promises at an end for all time?(G)
Has God forgotten to be gracious?
    Has he in anger shut up his compassion?” Selah(H)
10 And I say, “It is my grief
    that the right hand of the Most High has changed.”(I)

11 I will call to mind the deeds of the Lord;
    I will remember your wonders of old.(J)
12 I will meditate on all your work
    and muse on your mighty deeds.
13 Your way, O God, is holy.
    What god is so great as our God?(K)
14 You are the God who works wonders;
    you have displayed your might among the peoples.
15 With your strong arm you redeemed your people,
    the descendants of Jacob and Joseph. Selah(L)

16 When the waters saw you, O God,
    when the waters saw you, they were afraid;
    the very deep trembled.(M)
17 The clouds poured out water;
    the skies thundered;
    your arrows flashed on every side.(N)
18 The crash of your thunder was in the whirlwind;
    your lightnings lit up the world;
    the earth trembled and shook.(O)
19 Your way was through the sea,
    your path through the mighty waters,
    yet your footprints were unseen.(P)
20 You led your people like a flock
    by the hand of Moses and Aaron.(Q)

Footnotes

  1. 77.6 Gk Syr: Heb My music
  2. 77.6 Syr Jerome: Heb my spirit searches

77 I yell out to my God, I yell with all my might,
    I yell at the top of my lungs. He listens.

2-6 I found myself in trouble and went looking for my Lord;
    my life was an open wound that wouldn’t heal.
When friends said, “Everything will turn out all right,”
    I didn’t believe a word they said.
I remember God—and shake my head.
    I bow my head—then wring my hands.
I’m awake all night—not a wink of sleep;
    I can’t even say what’s bothering me.
I go over the days one by one,
    I ponder the years gone by.
I strum my lute all through the night,
    wondering how to get my life together.

7-10 Will the Lord walk off and leave us for good?
    Will he never smile again?
Is his love worn threadbare?
    Has his salvation promise burned out?
Has God forgotten his manners?
    Has he angrily stomped off and left us?
“Just my luck,” I said. “The High God retires
    just the moment I need him.”

11-12 Once again I’ll go over what God has done,
    lay out on the table the ancient wonders;
I’ll ponder all the things you’ve accomplished,
    and give a long, loving look at your acts.

13-15 O God! Your way is holy!
    No god is great like God!
You’re the God who makes things happen;
    you showed everyone what you can do—
You pulled your people out of the worst kind of trouble,
    rescued the children of Jacob and Joseph.

16-19 Ocean saw you in action, God,
    saw you and trembled with fear;
    Deep Ocean was scared to death.
Clouds belched buckets of rain,
    Sky exploded with thunder,
    your arrows flashing this way and that.
From Whirlwind came your thundering voice,
    Lightning exposed the world,
    Earth reeled and rocked.
You strode right through Ocean,
    walked straight through roaring Ocean,
    but nobody saw you come or go.

20 Hidden in the hands of Moses and Aaron,
You led your people like a flock of sheep.