Psalm 77:1-4, "I cried unto God with my voice, even unto God with my voice; and he gave ear unto me. 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. I remembered God, and was troubled: I complained and my spirit was overwhelmed. Selah. Thou holdest mine eyes waking: I am so trouble that I cannot speak."
Have you felt this way when trouble came to your door? Did your sore run in the night? That means you were drained of power and wept through the night. You refused to be comforted. No amount of words or prayers seemed to help. Can you see how the psalmist felt? Look at the other words in the verse, overwhelmed, complaining, and unable to speak. He was distraught. I've been there, have you?
Psalm 77:5-9, "I have considered the days of old, the years of the ancient times. I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with mine own heart: and my spirit made diligent search. Will the Lord cast off for ever? And will he be favourable no more? Is his mercy clean gone for ever? Doth his promise fail for evermore? Hath God forgotten to be gracious? Hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? Selah."
The psalmist is trying to figure things out and searching for the answer to his trouble. But notice, he wasn't afraid to ask God hard questions. And, he gave himself a good talking to - he communed with his own heart and made a diligent search. You can look at the questions he posed to God in two ways. Either he is asking with a complaining tone of resignation, or he is declaring the truth and the answer to each question is a resounding"no." God has not forgotten. His promises do not fail. Which way would you be asking those questions? What questions do you put before God when trouble comes your way?
Psalm 77:10-12, "And I said, This is my infirmity but I will remember the years of the right and of the most High. I will remember the works of the Lord: surely I will remember thy wonders of old. I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings."
He readily admits he has a problem, an infirmity. And the next word is critical: but. Even when trouble comes, he chooses a change of focus. Instead of looking at the situation, he turns his attention to God. He decides to remember better times, and places his hope and faith on their return. He chooses to talk about God. Notice he was so distraught in the first four verses that he could not speak, but now that faith has become a part of his thought, he opens up. Do you see the choice he made? Do you understand why?
Psalm 77:13-20, "Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary: who is so great a God as our God? Thou art the God that doest wonders: thou hast declared thy strength among the people. Thou hast with thine arm redeemed thy people, the sons of Jacob and Joseph. Selah. The waters saw thee, O God, the waters saw thee; they were afraid: the depths also were troubled. The clouds poured out water: the skies sent out a sound: thine arrows also went abroad. The voice of thy thunder was in the heaven: the lightnings lightened the world: the heart trembled and shook. Thy way is in the sea, and thy path in the great waters, and thy footsteps are not known. Thou leddest thy people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron."
At the beginning of the psalm, the psalmist flays around in bed, cries, and refuses comfort. But now, he stands confidently in the greatness of God. Look at all the power displayed by his words. The waters are afraid of God. the lightning (arrow) and the thunder fill the sky, making the earth tremble and shake. He is a good, good Father who redeems and knows what is happening. God becomes the source of his encouragement.
When trouble comes, we need to get this right. Cry if you must, but then turn your hope back on God. Meditate, remember, sing, and follow on by faith.
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