Chapter 77

Confidence in God during National Distress

¹For the leader; ‘al Jeduthun. A psalm of Asaph.

I

²I cry aloud to God, cry to God to hear me. ³On the day of my distress I seek the Lord; by night my hands are raised unceasingly; ^m Pss 50, 15; 88, 2 . I refuse to be consoled. ⁴When I think of God, I groan; as I ponder, my spirit grows faint. ⁿ Jon 2, 8 .   Selah ⁵My eyes cannot close in sleep; I am troubled and cannot speak. ⁶I consider the days of old; the years long past ⁷I remember. ^o Ps 143, 5; Dt 32, 7 . In the night I meditate in my heart; I ponder and my spirit broods: ⁸“Will the Lord reject us forever, ^p 77, 8–10: Pss 13, 2; 44, 24; 74, 1; 80, 5; 89, 47; LAm 3, 31 . never again show favor? ⁹Has God's love ceased forever? Has the promise failed for all ages? ¹⁰Has God forgotten mercy, in anger withheld compassion?”   Selah ¹¹I conclude:^* “My sorrow is this, the right hand of the Most High has left us.” ^q Ex 15, 6. 12; Pss 17, 7; 18, 36 .

II

¹²I will remember^* the deeds of the LORD; yes, your wonders of old I will remember. ^r Ps 143, 5 . ¹³I will recite all your works; your exploits I will tell. ¹⁴Your way, O God, is holy; what god is as great as our God? ^s Ps 18, 31; Ex 15, 11 . ¹⁵You alone are the God who did wonders; among the peoples you revealed your might. ^t Pss 86, 10; 89, 6 . ¹⁶With your arm you redeemed your people, the descendants of Jacob and Joseph. ^u Gn 46, 26–27; Neh 1, 10 .   Selah ¹⁷The waters saw you, God; the waters saw you and lashed about, trembled even to their depths. ^v Pss 18, 16; 114, 3; Na 1, 4 . ¹⁸The clouds poured down their rains; the thunderheads rumbled; your arrows flashed back and forth. ^w Pss 18, 14–15; 29; 144, 6; Jb 37, 3–4; WIs 5, 21; Hb 3, 10–11; Zec 9, 14 . ¹⁹The thunder of your chariot wheels resounded; your lightning lit up the world; the earth trembled and quaked. ^x Pss 18, 8; 97, 4; 99, 1; Ex 19, 16; Jgs 5, 4–5 . ²⁰Through the sea was your path; your way, through the mighty waters, though your footsteps were unseen. ^y Neh 9, 11; WIs 14, 3; Is 51, 10; Hb 3, 15 . ²¹You led your people like a flock under the care of Moses and Aaron. ^z Ps 78, 52; Is 63, 11–14; Hos 12, 14; Mi 6, 4 .