Psalms 77:4

AN EXPRESSION OF THE PSALMIST'S DOUBTS

"Thou holdest mine eyes watching;

I am so troubled that I cannot speak.

I have considered the days of old,

The years of ancient times.

I call to remembrance my song in the night:

I commune with mine own heart;

And my spirit maketh diligent search.

Will the Lord cast off forever?

And will he be favorable no more?

Is his lovingkindness clean gone forever?

Doth his promise fail forever more?

Hath God forgotten to be gracious?

Hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies?"

"Thou holdest mine eyes watching" (Psalms 77:4). The Anchor Bible translates this: "Mine eyes are accustomed to vigils; I pace the floor and do not recline."[3]

"I call to remembrance my song in the night" (Psalms 77:6). "Many have been the songs that he either composed or sang; and he had once derived much spiritual comfort from them; but they gave him no help now, and aroused no feelings of confident faith."[4]

The six plaintive questions of Psalms 77:7-9 are eloquent expressions indeed of the doubts and fears of the psalmist. He strongly desired to find negative answers to all these questions, but the harsh conditions confronting the nation of Israel seemed to demand an affirmation of his worst fears, namely, that God indeed: (1) had cast off; (2) was no longer favorable; (3) His lovingkindness gone; (4) His promise had failed; (5) had forgotten to be gracious; (6) and had shut up His tender mercies.

No, God had not really "forgotten" His promise, nor shut off His mercies, nor cast off His true people, but the promises to Israel had always been conditional, that condition being their faithfulness to God; and when Israel no longer met that condition, God's blessings indeed ceased. That is why that such questions as these, as regarded the vast majority of ancient Israel, were indeed required to be answered affirmatively.