|
Reflections on The Psalms |
 |
Psalm 77
(NKJV) I cried out to God with my voice;
To God with my voice; And He gave ear to me.
{2} In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord;
My hand was stretched out in the night without ceasing;
My soul refused to be comforted.
{3} I remembered God, and was troubled;
I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Selah
When, day by day, God is not in our thoughts, we can run a long way down a wrong road without giving it a second thought. But then, as the psalmist says, we remember God and are troubled. Our deepest troubled thoughts come in the night and sleep will not come.
{4} You hold my eyelids open;
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 meditate within my heart, And my spirit makes diligent search.
Have I gone too far? Is it possible for me to repent and retrace my steps. As I have forgotten God, has he forgotten me?
{7} Will the Lord cast off forever?
And will He be favorable no more?
{8} Has His mercy ceased forever?
Has His promise failed forevermore?
{9} Has God forgotten to be gracious?
Has He in anger shut up His tender mercies? Selah
{10} And I said, "This is my anguish;
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 Your wonders of old.
{12} I will also meditate on all Your work,
And talk of Your deeds.
But this is only my anguish talking. I will remember. I will remember all the years we walked together. I will remember what God has done. I will meditate on the great things God has done. Three times, the psalmist cried: I will remember.
{13} Your way, O God, is in the sanctuary;
Who is so great a God as our God?
{14} You are the God who does wonders;
You have declared Your strength among the peoples.
{15} You have with Your arm redeemed Your people,
The sons of Jacob and Joseph. Selah
Then follows a marvelous chorus describing the stormy night dividing of the Red Sea. And God's path opened up in the great waters.
{16} The waters saw You, O God;
The waters saw You, they were afraid;
The depths also trembled.
{17} The clouds poured out water;
The skies sent out a sound;
Your arrows also flashed about.
{18} The voice of Your thunder was in the whirlwind;
The lightnings lit up the world;
The earth trembled and shook.
{19} Your way was in the sea,
Your path in the great waters,
And Your footsteps were not known.
{20} You led Your people like a flock
By the hand of Moses and Aaron.
And so he reminds us to think about God often and always. Meditate on the great
interventions of God in this world. After all, Israel walked dry shod across the
bottom of the sea.