Psalms 77:2

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

Psalms 77:2 in Other Translations

KJV

2 In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord: my sore ran in the night, and ceased not: my soul refused to be comforted.

ESV

2 In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord; in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying; my soul refuses to be comforted.

NLT

2 When I was in deep trouble, I searched for the Lord. All night long I prayed, with hands lifted toward heaven, but my soul was not comforted.

MSG

2 I found myself in trouble and went looking for my Lord; my life was an open wound that wouldn't heal. When friends said, "Everything will turn out all right," I didn't believe a word they said.

CSB

2 In my day of trouble I sought the Lord. My hands were lifted up all night long; I refused to be comforted.

Psalms 77:2 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 77:2

In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord
Not the creature, for help, and creature amusements to drive away trouble, but the Lord, in private, by prayer and supplication; a time of trouble is a time for prayer, ( James 5:13 ) , all men have their trouble, but the people of God more especially; and there are some particular times in which they have more than usual, and then it may be said to be "a day of trouble" with them; which sometimes arises from themselves, the strength of their corruptions, the weakness of their graces, their backwardness to duties, or poor performance of them; sometimes from others, from the profaneness or persecutions of the men of the world, from the heretical notions or wicked lives of professors; sometimes from the temptations of Satan, and at other times from the Lord himself more immediately, by his withdrawing his presence from them, or by laying his afflicting hand upon them; but, let the trouble come from what quarter it may, it is always right to seek the Lord. Some think reference is had to the time of trouble mentioned in ( Daniel 12:1 ) ,

my sore ran in the night;
my "stroke", or "wound" ^F9; so Kimchi interprets it; the wound that was made in his soul, and the pain and anguish, grief and trouble, which flowed from it; see ( Jeremiah 6:7 ) though the word may be literally rendered "my hand" ^F11; and the sense is, either that his hand flowed or was wet with wiping his eyes, or with the tears that flowed from his eyes, which ran down to his fingers' ends; so the Targum,

``in the night my eye dropped with tears;''

or rather that his hand was stretched out, as waters, that are poured out and run, are spread, that is, in prayer; the stretching out of the hand being a prayer gesture:

and ceased not;
was not remiss and feeble, or was not let down, as Moses's, ( Exodus 17:11 Exodus 17:12 ) , it denotes the constancy of prayer, and his continuance in it; he prayed without ceasing:

my soul refused to be comforted:
such was the greatness of his distress, like that of Jacob's and Rachel's, ( Genesis 37:35 ) ( Jeremiah 31:15 ) , it is right to refuse comfort and peace, which men speak to themselves upon the false foundation of their own merit and works; or any but what comes from the God of all comfort, and through Christ, in whom is all solid consolation, and by his Spirit, who is the Comforter; but it is wrong to refuse any that comes from hence, and by means of the promises, the word and ordinances and ministries of the Gospel, or Christian friends; this shows the strength of unbelief.

FOOTNOTES:

F9 (ydy) "plaga mea", Pagninus, Muis.
F11 "Manus mea", Montanus, Piscator, Gejerus

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Psalms 77:2 In-Context

1 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.

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;

Cross References 4

1. S Genesis 32:7; S 2 Samuel 22:7; S Psalms 118:5; Psalms 50:15; Isaiah 26:9,16
2. Psalms 6:6; Psalms 22:2; Psalms 88:1
3. S Exodus 9:29; S Job 11:13
4. S Genesis 37:35; Matthew 2:18