Psalm 77

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 77:5

I have considered; rather, I considered. In my perplexity, when I could no longer speak, I betook myself to meditation. I considered the days of old, the years of ancient times. He called to mind, i.e; God's doings in the past (comp. Psalms 77:14-19 ). read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 77:6

I call to remembrance my song in the night. He bethought himself of the songs of thanksgiving which he used to sing to God in the night (comp. Job 35:10 ) on account of mercies received; but this did not comfort him. "Nessun maggior dolore che ricordarsi di tempo felice nella miseria." I commune with mine own heart, and my spirit made diligent search; or, "and I diligently searched out my spirit" (Cheyne). The results of the searchings out seem to be given in Psalms 77:7-10 . read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 77:6

The cheer of hallowed memories. "I call to remembrance my song in the night." This expression recalls the appeal of Elihu ( Job 35:10 ), "But none saith, Where is God my Maker, who giveth songs in the night?" But the mood of the psalmist here is peculiar. To him the memories of past joys do but intensify present distress. "When I remember how near God once was, the present seems more bitter, and the thought brings increase of sadness." Some, however, render this clause, "I will give my... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 77:7

Will the Lord cast off forever? The psalmist asked himself in the night such questions as these: Is it really to be supposed that God will cast off his people forever? And will he be favourable (or, gracious ) no more? Surely such desertion is incredible. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 77:7-9

The temptation and the refuge. "Will the Lord cast off?" Here is a soul passing through the very valley of the shadow of death, yet coming out again into the sunshine of God's loving kindness and truth. As Christian, in Bunyan's allegory, could not distinguish the whisperings of evil spirits from his own thoughts, so the bitter questions the psalmist records here as almost overturning his faith, may well have been temptations of the evil one. Whatever their source, there could be but one... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 77:8

Is his mercy clean gone forever? The mercy which he has so long shown towards Israel (comp. Psalms 78:1-72 .). Doth his promise fail forevermore? The promise which he made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, that he would be with their seed forever ( Genesis 17:7-13 ; Genesis 26:24 ; Genesis 35:11 , Genesis 35:12 ). read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 77:8

Possible exhaustion of God's mercies. So fully was the thought of God woven into the whole life and relations of a pious Jew, that to him the unbearable distress was the lost sense of God's presence and interest. We have two striking instances of this. The supreme point of David's distress, when fleeing from his son Absalom, lay in this—his enemies taunted him with the lost favour of God, saying, "Where is now thy God?" And Isaiah closes his magnificent fortieth chapter with this sublime... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 77:9

Hath God forgotten to be gracious? Can God, who forgets nothing and no one ( Isaiah 49:15 ), have forgotten his own nature, which is to be "merciful and gracious, long suffering, and abundant in goodness" ( Exodus 34:6 )? Assuredly not. The higher nature in the psalmist, as Professor Cheyne observes, expostulates with the lower one. Hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? Has he shut them up, "as in a closed hand" (Kay, Canon Cook)? (comp. Deuteronomy 15:7 ). read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 77:10

And I said, This is my infirmity; i.e. "the fault is not in God, but in myself"—in my own weakness and want of faith. But I will remember the years of the right hand of the Most High . There is no "I will remember" in the original, which expresses the thought of the writer imperfectly; but some such phrase must of necessity be supplied. The words are retained in the Revised Version and by Professor Cheyne. The remembrance of God's mercies during the many years that are past is that... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 77:10

A supreme mental distress. "That the right hand of the Highest hath changed." It is as if the psalmist were saying, "All this that I have been asking myself, and saddening myself with asking, seems impossible, and yet it is this very possibility of change in God toward me which so sorely perplexes and distresses me." "This is my sorrow, the changing of the right hand of the Most High." Do we not all feel that, if God be changed, then indeed the "whole foundation rocks"? We build our... read more

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 77:5

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 77:6

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 77:6

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 77:7

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 77:7-9

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 77:8

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 77:8

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 77:9

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 77:10

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 77:10

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