Psalm 77:4

4 Tu hai ritenuti gli occhi miei in continue vegghie; Io son tutto attonito, e non posso parlare.

Psalm 77:4 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 77:4

Thou holdest mine eyes waking
Or, "the watches", or rather "keepers of the eyes" ^F13; the eyebrows, which protect the eyes; these were held, so that he could not shut them, and get any sleep; so R. Moses Haccohen interprets the words, as Jarchi observes; and so the Targum,

``thou holdest the brows of my eyes;''

a person in trouble, when he can get some sleep, it interrupts his sorrow, weakens it at least, if it does not put a stop to it; wherefore it is a great mercy to have sleep, and that refreshing, ( Psalms 127:1 ) , but to have this denied, and to have wearisome nights, and be in continual tossing to and fro, is very distressing:

I am so troubled that I cannot speak;
his spirits were so sunk with weariness, and want of sleep in the night, that he could not speak in the morning; or his heart was so full with sorrow, that he could not utter himself; or it was so great that he could not express it; or his thoughts were such that he dared not declare them; or he was so straitened and shut up in himself that he could not go on speaking unto God in prayer.

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FOOTNOTES:

F13 (ynye twrmv) "vigilias", Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus, Tigurine version; "palpebras oculorum meorum", Musculus, Cocceius; "palpebras quasi custodias oculorum", Michaelis.

Psalm 77:4 In-Context

2 Nel giorno della mia distretta, io ho cercato il Signore; Le mie mani sono state sparse qua e là di notte, E non hanno avuta posa alcuna; L’anima mia ha rifiutato d’essere consolata.

3 Io mi ricordo di Dio, e romoreggio; Io mi lamento, e il mio spirito è angosciato. Sela.

4 Tu hai ritenuti gli occhi miei in continue vegghie; Io son tutto attonito, e non posso parlare.

5 Io ripenso a’ giorni antichi, Agli anni da lungo tempo passati.

6 Io mi ricordo come già io sonava; Io medito nel mio cuore di notte, E lo spirito mio va investigando.