Psalm 77

1 intellectus Asaph adtendite populus meus legem meam inclinate aurem vestram in verba oris mei

2 aperiam in parabola os meum eloquar propositiones ab initio

3 quanta audivimus et cognovimus ea et patres nostri narraverunt nobis

4 non sunt occultata a filiis eorum in generationem alteram narrantes laudes Domini et virtutes eius et mirabilia eius quae fecit

5 et suscitavit testimonium in Iacob et legem posuit in Israhel quanta mandavit patribus nostris nota facere ea filiis suis

6 ut cognoscat generatio altera filii qui nascentur et exsurgent et narrabunt filiis suis

7 ut ponant in Deo spem suam et non obliviscantur opera Dei et mandata eius exquirant

8 ne fiant sicut patres eorum generatio prava et exasperans generatio quae non direxit cor suum et non est creditus cum Deo spiritus eius

9 filii Effrem intendentes et mittentes arcus conversi sunt in die belli

10 non custodierunt testamentum Dei et in lege eius noluerunt ambulare

11 et obliti sunt benefactorum eius et mirabilium eius quae ostendit eis

12 coram patribus eorum quae fecit mirabilia in terra Aegypti in campo Taneos

13 interrupit mare et perduxit eos statuit aquas quasi utrem

14 et deduxit eos in nube diei et tota nocte in inluminatione ignis

15 interrupit petram in heremo et adaquavit eos velut in abysso multa

16 et eduxit aquam de petra et deduxit tamquam flumina aquas

17 et adposuerunt adhuc peccare ei in ira excitaverunt Excelsum in inaquoso

18 et temptaverunt Deum in cordibus suis ut peterent escas animabus suis

19 et male locuti sunt de Deo dixerunt numquid poterit Deus parare mensam in deserto

20 quoniam percussit petram et fluxerunt aquae et torrentes inundaverunt numquid et panem potest dare aut parare mensam populo suo

21 ideo audivit Dominus et distulit et ignis accensus est in Iacob et ira ascendit in Israhel

22 quia non crediderunt in Deo nec speraverunt in salutare eius

23 et mandavit nubibus desuper et ianuas caeli aperuit

24 et pluit illis manna ad manducandum et panem caeli dedit eis

25 panem angelorum manducavit homo cibaria misit eis in abundantiam

26 transtulit austrum de caelo et induxit in virtute sua africum

27 et pluit super eos sicut pulverem carnes et sicut harenam maris volatilia pinnata

28 et ceciderunt in medio castrorum eorum circa tabernacula eorum

29 et manducaverunt et saturati sunt nimis et desiderium eorum adtulit eis

30 non sunt fraudati a desiderio suo adhuc escae eorum erant in ore ipsorum

31 et ira Dei ascendit in eos et occidit pingues eorum et electos Israhel inpedivit

32 in omnibus his peccaverunt adhuc et non crediderunt mirabilibus eius

33 et defecerunt in vanitate dies eorum et anni eorum cum festinatione

34 cum occideret eos quaerebant eum et revertebantur et diluculo veniebant ad Deum

35 et rememorati sunt quia Deus adiutor est eorum et Deus excelsus redemptor eorum est

36 et dilexerunt eum in ore suo et lingua sua mentiti sunt ei

37 cor autem ipsorum non erat rectum cum eo nec fideles habiti sunt in testamento eius

38 ipse autem est misericors et propitius fiet peccatis eorum et non perdet eos et abundabit ut avertat iram suam et non accendet omnem iram suam

39 et recordatus est quia caro sunt spiritus vadens et non rediens

40 quotiens exacerbaverunt eum in deserto in ira concitaverunt eum in inaquoso

41 et conversi sunt et temptaverunt Deum et Sanctum Israhel exacerbaverunt

42 non sunt recordati manus eius die qua redemit eos de manu tribulantis

43 sicut posuit in Aegypto signa sua et prodigia sua in campo Taneos

44 et convertit in sanguine flumina eorum et imbres eorum ne biberent

45 misit in eos cynomiam et comedit eos et ranam et disperdit eos

46 et dedit erugini fructus eorum et labores eorum lucustae

47 et occidit in grandine vineam eorum et moros eorum in pruina

48 et tradidit grandini iumenta eorum et possessionem eorum igni

49 misit in eos iram indignationis suae indignationem et iram et tribulationem inmissionem per angelos malos

50 viam fecit semitae irae suae non pepercit a morte animarum eorum et iumenta eorum in morte conclusit

51 et percussit omne primitivum in terra Aegypti primitias laborum eorum in tabernaculis Cham

52 et abstulit sicut oves populum suum et perduxit eos tamquam gregem in deserto

53 et deduxit eos in spe et non timuerunt et inimicos eorum operuit mare

54 et induxit eos in montem sanctificationis suae montem quem adquisivit dextera eius et eiecit a facie eorum gentes et sorte divisit eis terram in funiculo distributionis

55 et habitare fecit in tabernaculis eorum tribus Israhel

56 et temptaverunt et exacerbaverunt Deum excelsum et testimonia eius non custodierunt

57 et averterunt se et non servaverunt pactum quemadmodum patres eorum conversi sunt in arcum pravum

58 et in ira concitaverunt eum in collibus suis et in sculptilibus suis ad aemulationem eum provocaverunt

59 audivit Deus et sprevit et ad nihilum redegit valde Israhel

60 et reppulit tabernaculum Selo tabernaculum suum ubi habitavit in hominibus

61 et tradidit in captivitatem virtutem eorum et pulchritudinem eorum in manus inimici

62 et conclusit in gladio populum suum et hereditatem suam sprevit

63 iuvenes eorum comedit ignis et virgines eorum non sunt lamentatae

64 sacerdotes eorum in gladio ceciderunt et viduae eorum non plorabuntur

65 et excitatus est tamquam dormiens Dominus tamquam potens crapulatus a vino

66 et percussit inimicos suos in posteriora obprobrium sempiternum dedit illis

67 et reppulit tabernaculum Ioseph et tribum Effrem non elegit

68 et elegit tribum Iuda montem Sion quem dilexit

69 et aedificavit sicut unicornium sanctificium suum in terra quam fundavit in saecula

70 et elegit David servum suum et sustulit eum de gregibus ovium de post fetantes accepit eum

71 pascere Iacob servum suum et Israhel hereditatem suam

72 et pavit eos in innocentia cordis sui et in intellectibus manuum suarum deduxit eos

Psalm 77 Commentary

Chapter 77

The psalmist's troubles and temptation. (1-10) He encourages himself by the remembrance of God's help of his people. (11-20)

Verses 1-10 Days of trouble must be days of prayer; when God seems to have withdrawn from us, we must seek him till we find him. In the day of his trouble the psalmist did not seek for the diversion of business or amusement, but he sought God, and his favor and grace. Those that are under trouble of mind, must pray it away. He pored upon the trouble; the methods that should have relieved him did but increase his grief. When he remembered God, it was only the Divine justice and wrath. His spirit was overwhelmed, and sank under the load. But let not the remembrance of the comforts we have lost, make us unthankful for those that are left. Particularly he called to remembrance the comforts with which he supported himself in former sorrows. Here is the language of a sorrowful, deserted soul, walking in darkness; a common case even among those that fear the Lord, ( Isaiah 50:10 ) . Nothing wounds and pierces like the thought of God's being angry. God's own people, in a cloudy and dark day, may be tempted to make wrong conclusions about their spiritual state, and that of God's kingdom in the world. But we must not give way to such fears. Let faith answer them from the Scripture. The troubled fountain will work itself clear again; and the recollection of former times of joyful experience often raises a hope, tending to relief. Doubts and fears proceed from the want and weakness of faith. Despondency and distrust under affliction, are too often the infirmities of believers, and, as such, are to be thought upon by us with sorrow and shame. When, unbelief is working in us, we must thus suppress its risings.

Verses 11-20 The remembrance of the works of God, will be a powerful remedy against distrust of his promise and goodness; for he is God, and changes not. God's way is in the sanctuary. We are sure that God is holy in all his works. God's ways are like the deep waters, which cannot be fathomed; like the way of a ship, which cannot be tracked. God brought Israel out of Egypt. This was typical of the great redemption to be wrought out in the fulness of time, both by price and power. If we have harboured doubtful thoughts, we should, without delay, turn our minds to meditate on that God, who spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, that with him, he might freely give us all things.

Chapter Summary

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.