Psalm 77:1

Verse 1. In the beginning of the Psalm, before speaking of his sorrows, he hastens to show the necessary and most efficacious remedy for allaying sorrow. He says that he did not, as many do, out of their impatience of grief or murmuring, either accuse God of cruelty or tyranny, or utter blasphemous words by which dishonour might fall upon God, or by indulging in sorrow and distrust hasten his own destruction, or fill the air with vain complaining, but fled straight to God and to him unburdened his sorrow, and sought that he would not shut him out from that grace which he bountifully offers to all. This is the only and sure sovereign remedy which most effectually heals his griefs. Mollerus.

Verse 1. I cried. To the Orientals the word q[c presented the idea of a crash, as of the heavens sending out thunders and lightnings. Whence beyond other things he metaphorically says, he cried for sorrow;... shaken with a tempest of thoughts he burst out into an open and loud sounding complaint. Hermann Venema.

Verse 1. Even unto God with my voice. The repetition here is emphatic. The idea is that it was an earnest or fervent cry. Albert Barnes.

Verse 1. (last clause). At the second knock, the door of grace flew open: the Lord heard me. John Collings.

HINTS FOR PASTORS AND LAYPERSONS

Verse 1. The benefit of using the voice in private prayer.

Verse 1,3,5,10. Note the wise man's progress out of his soul trouble.

WORK ON THE SEVENTY-SEVENTH PSALM

"An Exposition upon the Seventy- seventh Psalm, made by the constant Martyr of Christ, Master John Hooper, Bishop of Gloucester and Worcester." In the "Later Writings of Bishop Hooper." (In Parker Society's Publications, and also in the "British Reformer's" series of the Religious Tract Society.)