Studies in the Psalms -Psalm 77

Sometimes it just seems as if God is not listening to your prayers. We forget that we have an enemy who whispers things in our ears that tempt us to doubt God. Life is hard and in the hard times we can and do get discouraged. Psalm 77 is a reminder to all who find themselves doubting and have drifted into hopelessness. Listen to the cry of the psalmist.

Psalm 77:1-10

My voice rises to God, and I will cry aloud; My voice rises to God, and He will hear me.  In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord; In the night my hand was stretched out without weariness; My soul refused to be comforted.  When I remember God, then I am disturbed; When I sigh, then my spirit grows faint. Selah.  You have held my eyelids open; I am so troubled that I cannot speak.  I have considered the days of old, The years of long ago.  I will remember my song in the night; I will meditate with my heart, And my spirit ponders:  Will the Lord reject forever? And will He never be favorable again?  Has His lovingkindness ceased forever? Has His promise come to an end forever?  Has God forgotten to be gracious, Or has He in anger withdrawn His compassion? Selah.  Then I said, "It is my grief, That the right hand of the Most High has changed."

It’s ok to question God sometimes. The problem doesn’t come from saying “why, oh God,” the sin comes in demanding He answer now. Scripture teaches us we are to pray. Jesus even tells parables that speak of persistent and repeated prayer. But the spirit-led Christian knows when God has spoken. When God says no, then we must accept that by faith, for God’s will for us is for our good, not our desires. In our broken nature, we are unable to see the difference.

So, the psalmist turns from the questioning to remembering. He looks back at what God has already done.

Psalm 77:11-19
I shall remember the deeds of the LORD; Surely I will remember Your wonders of old.  I will meditate on all Your work And muse on Your deeds.  Your way, O God, is holy; What god is great like our God?  You are the God who works wonders; You have made known Your strength among the peoples.  You have by Your power redeemed Your people, The sons of Jacob and Joseph. Selah.  The waters saw You, O God; The waters saw You, they were in anguish; The deeps also trembled.  The clouds poured out water; The skies gave forth a sound; Your arrows flashed here and there.  The sound of Your thunder was in the whirlwind; The lightnings lit up the world; The earth trembled and shook.  Your way was in the sea And Your paths in the mighty waters, And Your footprints may not be known.

Israel could look back to the deliverance God gave them through Moses. Christians can look back to the cross and remember that Christ has saved us from our sin. Both can look forward to the return of Jesus, when all things will be made right.

In Psalm 77 Asaph asked God some questions that might be your questions.

Did you reject me God?

Lamentations 3:31-33
For the Lord will not reject forever,  For if He causes grief, Then He will have compassion According to His abundant lovingkindness.  For He does not afflict willingly Or grieve the sons of men.

God, have you stopped loving me?

Jeremiah 31:3
The LORD appeared to him from afar, saying, "I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness.

Have God’s promises failed?

1 Kings 8:56
"Blessed be the LORD, who has given rest to His people Israel, according to all that He promised; not one word has failed of all His good promise, which He promised through Moses His servant.

God, have you forgotten to be gracious?

Isaiah 49:14-18
But Zion said, "The LORD has forsaken me, And the Lord has forgotten me."  "Can a woman forget her nursing child And have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, but I will not forget you.  "Behold, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; Your walls are continually before Me.  "Your builders hurry; Your destroyers and devastators Will depart from you.  "Lift up your eyes and look around; All of them gather together, they come to you. As I live," declares the LORD, "You will surely put on all of them as jewels and bind them on as a bride.

Is God so angry that he has closed off His compassions?

Lamentations 3:22-24
The LORD'S loving-kindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.  "The LORD is my portion," says my soul, "Therefore I have hope in Him."

Asaph’s questions are answered. So are ours. If you are Christ’s, then God has promised not to leave nor forsake you. And the amazing thing is that God’s love is not based upon our goodness, but on His. Even when we mess up, even when we doubt and question Him, His mercy and His grace are still there.

So, the next time you doubt?

Lamentations 3:21

This I recall to my mind, Therefore I have hope.

Remember this truth.

Lamentations 3:22-26
The LORD'S loving-kindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.  "The LORD is my portion," says my soul, "Therefore I have hope in Him."  The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, To the person who seeks Him.  It is good that he waits silently For the salvation of the LORD.

Key word? Never. God’s promises are never going to fail. So. Wait on Him.