> [[psalm-76|← Previous]] | [[psalm-00|TOC]] | [[psalm-78|Next →]] --- # Psalm 77 ## Confidence in God During National Distress 1 For the leader; According to *Jeduthun*. A psalm of Asaph. ^psalm-77-1 ### I 2 I cry aloud to God, ^psalm-77-2 I cry to God to hear me. 3 On the day of my distress I seek the Lord; ^psalm-77-3 by night my hands are stretched out unceasingly; I refuse to be consoled. 4 When I think of God, I groan; ^psalm-77-4 as I meditate, my spirit grows faint. *Selah* 5 You have kept me from closing my eyes in sleep; ^psalm-77-5 I am troubled and cannot speak. 6 I consider the days of old; ^psalm-77-6 the years long past 7 I remember. ^psalm-77-7 At night I ponder in my heart; and as I meditate, my spirit probes: 8 “Will the Lord reject us forever, ^psalm-77-8 never again show favor? 9 Has God’s mercy ceased forever? ^psalm-77-9 The promise to go unfulfilled for future ages? 10 Has God forgotten how to show mercy, ^psalm-77-10 in anger withheld his compassion?” *Selah* 11 I conclude: “My sorrow is this, ^psalm-77-11 the right hand of the Most High has abandoned us.” ### II 12 I will recall the deeds of the LORD; ^psalm-77-12 yes, recall your wonders of old. 13 I will ponder all your works; ^psalm-77-13 on your exploits I will meditate. 14 Your way, God, is holy; ^psalm-77-14 what god is as great as our God? 15 You are the God who does wonders; ^psalm-77-15 among the peoples you have revealed your might. 16 With your mighty arm you redeemed your people, ^psalm-77-16 the children of Jacob and Joseph. *Selah* 17 The waters saw you, God; ^psalm-77-17 the waters saw you and lashed about, even the deeps of the sea trembled. 18 The clouds poured down their rains; ^psalm-77-18 the thunderheads rumbled; your arrows flashed back and forth. 19 The thunder of your chariot wheels resounded; ^psalm-77-19 your lightning lit up the world; the earth trembled and quaked. 20 Through the sea was your way; ^psalm-77-20 your path, through the mighty waters, though your footsteps were unseen. 21 You led your people like a flock ^psalm-77-21 by the hand of Moses and Aaron. \* (Psalm 77) A community lament in which the speaker (“I”) describes the anguish of Israel at God’s silence when its very existence is at stake ([Ps 77:2] – [11]). In response the speaker recites the story of how God brought the people into existence ([Ps 77:12] – [20]). The question is thus posed to God: Will you allow the people you created to be destroyed? \* (77:11) I conclude: lit., “I said.” The psalmist, after pondering the present distress and God’s promises to Israel, has decided that God has forgotten the people. \* (77:12) I will recall: the verb sometimes means to make present the great deeds of Israel’s past by reciting them, cf. [Ps 78:42]; [105:5]; [106:7]. \* (77:17) The deeps of the sea: Heb. *tehom*; the same word is used in [Gn 1:2], where it alludes to the primeval seas which in ancient Semitic cosmography are tamed by God in creation, cf. [Ps 74:12] – [17]; [89:12] – [13] and notes. a. (77:3) [Ps 50:15]; [88:2]. b. (77:4) [Jon 2:8]. c. (77:7) [Ps 143:5]; [Dt 32:7]. d. (77:8] – [10) ([[psalm-13|Ps 13]]:2]; [44:24]; [74:1]; [80:5]; [89:47]; [Lam 3:31]. e. (77:11) ([[psalm-17|Ps 17]]:7]; [18:36]; ([[exodus-15|Ex 15]]:6], [12]. f. (77:12) [Ps 143:5]. g. (77:14) ([[psalm-18|Ps 18]]:31]; ([[exodus-15|Ex 15]]:11]. h. (77:15) [Ps 86:10]; [89:6]. i. (77:16) [Gn 46:26] – [27]; [Neh 1:10]. j. (77:17) ([[psalm-18|Ps 18]]:16]; [114:3]; [Na 1:4]. k. (77:18) ([[psalm-18|Ps 18]]:14] – [15]; [29]; [144:6]; [Jb 37:3] – [4]; ([[wisdom-05|Wis 5]]:21]; [Hb 3:10] – [11]; [Zec 9:14]. l. (77:19) ([[psalm-18|Ps 18]]:8]; [97:4]; [99:1]; ([[exodus-19|Ex 19]]:16]; [Jgs 5:4] – [5]. m. (77:20) [Neh 9:11]; [Wis 14:3]; [Is 51:10]; [Hb 3:15]. n. (77:21) [Ps 78:52]; [Is 63:11] – [14]; [[hosea-12|Hos 12]]:14; [Mi 6:4]. --- _New American Bible, revised edition_ (2010, 1991, 1986, 1970) Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C. > [[psalm-76|← Previous]] | [[psalm-00|TOC]] | [[psalm-78|Next →]]