Psalms 77:1-12

For the director of music. For Jeduthun. Of Asaph. A psalm.

1 ^[a]I cried out to God for help; I cried out to God to hear me.

2 When I was in distress, I sought the Lord; at night I stretched out untiring hands, and I would not be comforted.

3 I remembered you, God, and I groaned; I meditated, and my spirit grew faint.^[b]

4 You kept my eyes from closing; I was too troubled to speak.

5 I thought about the former days, the years of long ago;

6 I remembered my songs in the night. My heart meditated and my spirit asked:

7 “Will the Lord reject forever? Will he never show his favor again?

8 Has his unfailing love vanished forever? Has his promise failed for all time?

9 Has God forgotten to be merciful? Has he in anger withheld his compassion?”

10 Then I thought, “To this I will appeal: the years when the Most High stretched out his right hand.

11 I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.

12 I will consider all your works and meditate on all your mighty deeds.”

Psalms 77:1-12 Meaning and Commentary

To the chief Musician, to Jeduthun, A Psalm of Asaph. Jeduthun was the name of the chief musician, to whom this psalm was inscribed and sent; see 1 Chronicles 25:1, though Aben Ezra takes it to be the first word of some song, to the tune of which this was sung; and the Midrash interprets it of the subject of the psalm, which is followed by Jarchi, who explains it thus, "concerning the decrees and judgments which passed upon Israel;" that is, in the time of their present captivity, to which, as he, Kimchi, and Arama think, the whole psalm belongs. Some interpreters refer it to the affliction of the Jews in Babylon, so Theodoret; or under Ahasuerus, or Antiochus; and others to the great and last distress of the church under antichrist; though it seems to express the particular case of the psalmist, and which is common to other saints.

Cross References

• 1. S 1 Kings 8:52; Psalms 3:4
• 2. S Genesis 32:7; S 2 Samuel 22:7; S Psalms 118:5; Psalms 50:15; Isaiah 26:9,16
• 3. Psalms 6:6; Psalms 22:2; Psalms 88:1
• 4. S Exodus 9:29; S Job 11:13
• 5. S Genesis 37:35; Matthew 2:18
• 6. Psalms 78:35
• 7. Exodus 2:23; S Psalms 6:6; Jeremiah 45:3
• 8. S Psalms 6:2; Psalms 143:4
• 9. S Psalms 39:2
• 10. Deuteronomy 32:7; Psalms 44:1; Psalms 143:5; Ecclesiastes 7:10; Isaiah 51:9
• 11. S 1 Chronicles 28:9
• 12. Psalms 85:1; Psalms 102:13; Psalms 106:4
• 13. S Psalms 6:4; Psalms 90:14
• 14. 2 Peter 3:9
• 15. Psalms 25:6; Psalms 40:11; Psalms 51:1
• 16. Isaiah 49:15
• 17. S Exodus 15:6; Psalms 31:22
• 18. S Nehemiah 9:17; Psalms 143:5
• 19. S Genesis 24:63
• 20. Psalms 143:5

Footnotes

• [a]. In Hebrew texts 77:1-20 is numbered 77:2-21.
• [b]. The Hebrew has "Selah" (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verses 9 and 15.