TRV
Translation
King James Version
¶ To the chief Musician, to Jeduthun, A Psalm of Asaph. I cried unto God with my voice, even unto God with my voice; and he gave ear unto me.
Complete Jewish Bible
For the leader. For Y'dutun. A psalm of Asaf: I cry aloud to God, aloud to God; and he hears me.
American Standard Version
I will cry unto God with my voice, Even unto God with my voice; and he will give ear unto me.
World English Bible Messianic
My cry goes to God! Indeed, I cry to God for help, and for him to listen to me.
Geneva Bible (1599)
For the excellent musician Ieduthun. A Psalme committed to Asaph. My voyce came to God, when I cryed: my voyce came to God, and he heard me.
Young's Literal Translation
To the Overseer, for Jeduthun. --A Psalm of Asaph. My voice is to God, and I cry, my voice is to God, And He hath given ear unto me.
In the KJVVerse 15,095 of 31,102
Study This Verse
Commentary on Psalms 77 verses 1–10
1 ¶ To the chief Musician, to Jeduthun, A Psalm of Asaph. I cried unto God with my voice, even unto God with my voice; and he gave ear unto me.
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.
3 I remembered God, and was troubled: I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Selah.
4 Thou holdest mine eyes waking: I am so troubled that I cannot speak.
5 I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient times.
6 I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with mine own heart: and my spirit made diligent search.
7 Will the Lord cast off for ever? and will he be favourable no more?
8 Is his mercy clean gone for ever? doth his promise fail for evermore?
9 Hath God forgotten to be gracious? hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? Selah.
10 And I said, This is my infirmity: but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High.
We have here the lively portraiture of a good man under prevailing melancholy, fallen into and sinking in that horrible pit and that miry clay, but struggling to get out. Drooping saints, that are of a sorrowful spirit, may here as in a glass see their own faces. The conflict which the psalmist had with his griefs and fears seems to have been over when he penned this record of it; for he says (Psa 77:1), I cried unto God, and he gave ear unto me, which, while the struggle lasted, he had not the comfortable sense of, as he had afterwards; but he inserts it in the beginning of his narrative as an intimation that his trouble did not end in despair; for God heard him, and, at length, he knew that he heard him. Observe,
I. His melancholy prayers. Being afflicted, he prayed (Jam 5:13), and, being in an agony, he prayed more earnestly (Psa 77:1): My voice was unto God, and I cried, even with my voice unto God. He was full of complaints, loud complaints, but he directed them to God, and turned them all into prayers, vocal prayers, very earnest and importunate. Thus he gave vent to his grief and gained some ease; and thus he took the right way in order to relief (Psa 77:2): In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord. Note, Days of trouble must be days of prayer, days of inward trouble especially, when God seems to have withdrawn from us; we must seek him and seek till we find him. In the day of his trouble he did not seek for the diversion of business or recreation, to shake off his trouble that way, but he sought God, and his favour and grace. Those that are under trouble of mind must not think to drink it away, or laugh it away, but must pray it away. My hand was stretched out in the night and ceased not; so Dr. Hammond reads the following words, as speaking the incessant importunity of his prayers. Compare Psa 143:5, Psa 143:6.
II. His melancholy grief. Grief may then be called melancholy indeed, 1. When it admits of no intermission; such was his: My sore, or wound, ran in the night, and bled inwardly, and it ceased not, no, not in the time appointed for rest and sleep. 2. When it admits of no consolation; and that also as his case: My soul refused to be comforted; he had no mind to hearken to those that would be his comforters. As vinegar upon nitre, so is he that sings songs to a heavy heart, Pro 25:20. Nor had he any mind to think of those things that would be his comforts; he put them far from him, as one that indulged himself in sorrow. Those that are in sorrow, upon any account, do not only prejudice themselves, but affront God, if they refuse to be comforted.
III. His melancholy musings. He pored so much upon the trouble, whatever it was, personal or public, that, 1. The methods that should have relieved him did but increase his grief, Psa 77:3. (1.) One would have thought that the remembrance of God would comfort him, but it did not: I remembered God and was troubled, as poor Job (Job 23:15); I am troubled at his presence; when I consider I am afraid of him. When he remembered God his thoughts fastened only upon his justice, and wrath, and dreadful majesty, and thus God himself became a terror to him. (2.) One would have thought that pouring out his soul before God would give him ease, but it did not; he complained, and yet his spirit was overwhelmed, and sank under the load. 2. The means of his present relief were denied him, v. 4. He could not enjoy sleep, which, if it be quiet and refreshing, is a parenthesis to our griefs and cares: "Thou holdest my eyes waking with thy terrors, which make me full of tossings to and fro until the dawning of the day." He could not speak, by reason of the disorder of his thoughts, the tumult of his spirits, and the confusion his mind was in: He kept silence even from good while his heart was hot within him; he was ready to burst like a new bottle (Job 32:19), and yet so troubled that he could not speak and refresh himself. Grief never preys so much upon the spirits as when it is thus smothered and pent up.
IV. His melancholy reflections (Psa 77:5, Psa 77:6): "I have considered the days of old, and compared them with the present days; and our former prosperity does but aggravate our present calamities: for we see not the wonders that our fathers told us off." Melancholy people are apt to pore altogether upon the days of old and the years of ancient times, and to magnify them, for the justifying of their own uneasiness and discontent at the present posture of affairs. But say not thou that the former days were better than these, because it is more than thou knowest whether they were or no, Ecc 7:10. Neither let the remembrance of the comforts we have lost make us unthankful for those that are left, or impatient under our crosses. Particularly, he called to remembrance his song in the night, the comforts with which he had supported himself in his former sorrows and entertained himself in his former solitude. These songs he remembered, and tried if he could not sing them over again; but he was out of tune for them, and the remembrance of them did but pour out his soul in him, Psa 43:4. See Job 35:10.
V. His melancholy fears and apprehensions: "I communed with my own heart, Psa 77:6. Come, my soul, what will be the issue of these things? What can I think of them and what can I expect they will come to at last? I made diligent search into the causes of my trouble, enquiring wherefore God contended with me and what would be the consequences of it. And thus I began to reason, Will the Lord cast off for ever, as he does for the present? He is not now favourable; and will he be favourable no more? His mercy is now gone; and is it clean gone for ever? His promise now fails; and does it fail for evermore? God is not now gracious; but has he forgotten to be gracious? His tender mercies have been withheld, perhaps in wisdom; but are they shut up, shut up in anger?" Psa 77:7-9. This is the language of a disconsolate deserted soul, walking in darkness and having no light, a case not uncommon even with those that fear the Lord and obey the voice of his servant, Isa 50:10. He may here be looked upon, 1. As groaning under a sore trouble. God hid his face from him, and withdrew the usual tokens of his favour. Note, Spiritual trouble is of all trouble most grievous to a gracious soul; nothing wounds and pierces it like the apprehensions of God's being angry, the suspending of his favour and the superseding of his promise; this wounds the spirit; and who can bear that? 2. As grappling with a strong temptation. Note, God's own people, in a cloudy and dark day, may be tempted to make desperate conclusions about their own spiritual state and the condition of God's church and kingdom in the world, and, as to both, to give up all for gone. We may be tempted to think that God has abandoned us and cast us off, that the covenant of grace fails us, and that the tender mercy of our God shall be for ever withheld from us. But we must not give way to such suggestions as these. If fear and melancholy ask such peevish questions, let faith answer them from the Scripture: Will the Lord cast off for ever? God forbid, Rom 11:1. No; the Lord will not cast off his people, Psa 94:14. Will he be favourable no more? Yes, he will; for, though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion, Lam 3:32. Is his mercy clean gone for ever? No; his mercy endures for ever; as it is from everlasting, it is to everlasting, Psa 103:17. Doth his promise fail for evermore? No; it is impossible for God to lie, Heb 6:18. Hath God forgotten to be gracious? No; he cannot deny himself, and his own name which he hath proclaimed gracious and merciful, Exo 34:6. Has he in anger shut up his tender mercies? No; they are new every morning (Lam 3:23); and therefore, How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? Hos 11:8, Hos 11:9. Thus was he going on with his dark and dismal apprehensions when, on a sudden, he first checked himself with that word, Selah, "Stop there; go no further; let us hear no more of these unbelieving surmises;" and he then chid himself (Psa 77:10): I said, This is my infirmity. He is soon aware that it is not well said, and therefore, "Why art thou cast down, O my soul? I said, This is my affliction" (so some understand it); "This is the calamity that falls to my lot and I must make the best of it; every one has his affliction, his trouble in the flesh; and this is mine, the cross I must take up." Or, rather, "This is my sin; it is my iniquity, the plague of my own heart." These doubts and fears proceed from the want and weakness of faith and the corruption of a distempered mind. note, (1.) We all know that concerning ourselves of which we must say, "This is our infirmity, a sin that most easily besets us." (2.) Despondency of spirit, and distrust of God, under affliction, are too often the infirmities of good people, and, as such, are to be reflected upon by us with sorrow and shame, as by the psalmist here: This is my infirmity. When at any time it is working in us we must thus suppress the rising of it, and not suffer the evil spirit to speak. We must argue down the insurrections of unbelief, as the psalmist here: But I will remember the years of the right hand of the Most High. He had been considering the years of ancient times (Psa 77:5), the blessings formerly enjoyed, the remembrance of which did only add to his grief; but now he considered them as the years of the right hand of the Most High, that those blessings of ancient times came from the Ancient of days, from the power and sovereign disposal of his right hand who is over all, God, blessed for ever, and this satisfied him; for may not the Most High with his right hand make what changes he pleases?
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 1–10. Public domain.
Copy as
Augustine of HippoAD 430
Exposition on Psalm 77
"With my voice," he says, "to the Lord I have cried" [Psalm 77:1]. But many men cry unto the Lord for the sake of getting riches and avoiding losses, for the safety of their friends, for the security of their house, for temporal felicity, for secular dignity, lastly, even for mere soundness of body, which is the inheritance of the poor man. For such and such like things many men do cry unto the Lord; scarce one for the sake of the Lord Himself. For an easy thing it is for a man to desire anything of the Lord, and not to desire the Lord Himself; as if forsooth that which He gives could be sweeter than Himself that gives. Whosoever therefore does cry unto the Lord for the sake of any other thing, is not yet one that leaps over....He does indeed hearken to you at the time when thou dost seek Himself, not when through Himself thou dost seek any other thing. It has been said of some men, "They cried, and there was no one to save them; to the Lord, and He hearkened not unto them." For why? Because the voice of them was not unto the Lord. This the Scripture does express in another place, where it says of such men, "On the Lord they have not called." Unto Him they have not ceased to cry, and yet upon the Lord they have not called. What is, upon the Lord they have not called? They have not called the Lord unto themselves: they have not invited the Lord to their heart, they would not have themselves inhabited by the Lord. And therefore what has befallen them? "They have trembled with fear where fear was not." They have trembled about the loss of things present, for the reason that they were not full of Him, upon whom they have not called. They have not loved gratis, so that after the loss of temporal things they could say, "As it has pleased the Lord, so has been done, be the name of the Lord blessed." [Job 1:21] Therefore this man says, "My voice is unto the Lord, and He does hearken unto me." Let him show us how this comes to pass.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
Copy as
Continue studying Psalms 77:1 across the web’s major study libraries — every link below opens this exact verse, chapter, or book on the destination site.
Read & Compare
BibleGatewayThis verse in more than 200 translations and 70 languages.
Bible.comThe YouVersion reader — hundreds of translations, reading plans, and highlights.
ESV.orgCrossway's official English Standard Version reader.
NET BibleThe NET translation with 60,000+ translators' notes on every rendering decision.
STEP BibleTyndale House's free study tool — original text, vocabulary, and scholarly resources.
BibliaLogos Bible Software's free web reader.
USCCBThe New American Bible (Revised Edition) with the U.S. bishops' study notes.
Commentaries
BibleHub CommentariesDozens of classic commentaries on this verse, gathered on one page.
StudyLightMore than 100 commentary sets — the largest collection on the web.
BibleRefPlain-English commentary on what this verse means, verse by verse.
Enduring WordDavid Guzik's free commentary on this chapter, widely used by Bible teachers.
Bible Study ToolsVerse commentary alongside Greek and Hebrew study aids.
Original Language & Research
- BibleHub InterlinearThe verse word by word — original language, transliteration, and English.
- BibleHub LexiconEvery word's original-language definition and Strong's entry.
Blue Letter BibleDeep-study tools — Strong's numbers, concordance, and word studies.
SefariaThe Hebrew text with Rashi and centuries of Jewish commentary.
Sermons, Hymns & Audio
TrulyRandomVerse is not affiliated with these sites and doesn’t control their content. They’re linked because they’re genuinely useful.
SUMMARY
Psalm 77:1 opens with a profound, intensely personal, and urgent lament, immediately immersing the reader in the psalmist's deep distress as he repeatedly vocalizes his desperate cry to God. This foundational verse establishes an act of fervent supplication, conveying both the overwhelming urgency of his need and an underlying, albeit challenged, conviction in God's compassionate attentiveness and unwavering willingness to hear.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: Psalm 77 commences as a deeply personal and emotionally charged lament, with verse 1 serving as the initial, desperate cry that sets the stage for the psalmist's subsequent spiritual wrestling. The immediate narrative flow sees the psalmist moving from this opening plea into a night of restless anguish, questioning God's apparent silence and past actions (Psalms 77:2-9). The powerful repetition of "I cried unto God with my voice, even unto God with my voice" in this inaugural verse underscores the profound distress and establishes a tone of urgent supplication, which is crucial for understanding the depth of the psalmist's later doubts and his eventual turning to the remembrance of God's mighty deeds in salvation history (Psalms 77:10-20). This opening cry is the emotional anchor, grounding the psalm in a raw, honest expression of human suffering that paves the way for a journey from despair to renewed hope.
Historical & Cultural Context: The superscription "To the chief Musician, to Jeduthun, A Psalm of Asaph" provides vital insight into the psalm's setting and intended use. Asaph was one of the prominent Levitical choir leaders appointed by King David, indicating that this psalm was composed for and utilized within the structured temple worship of ancient Israel. The practice of lament, including vocal and often public expressions of distress, was a well-established and culturally accepted form of prayer in the ancient Near East, reflecting a deep-seated belief in the deity's ability and willingness to hear human cries. The mention of Jeduthun (H3038, Yᵉdûwthûwn), another significant Levitical musician, suggests a specific musical instruction, a particular tune, or a liturgical style, further highlighting its role in communal or individual worship guided by the temple musicians (H5329, nâtsach). This context underscores that the psalmist's desperate cry was not an anomaly but a recognized and encouraged mode of communication with God within Israelite piety, demonstrating the integration of raw emotion into formal worship.
Key Themes: This inaugural verse introduces several significant themes that resonate throughout Psalm 77 and the broader biblical narrative. The most prominent is desperate supplication, powerfully conveyed by the repeated phrase "I cried unto God with my voice." This is not a casual prayer but an urgent, heartfelt outpouring of anguish, echoing the deep cries found in other laments like Psalm 130:1. Intertwined with this is the theme of God's attentiveness, expressed in "and he gave ear unto me." This phrase signifies more than mere hearing; it implies an active, compassionate listening and responsiveness from God (H430, ʼĕlôhîym), a fundamental aspect of His covenantal character, as affirmed in Psalm 34:15. Finally, the emphasis on vocal prayer ("with my voice," H6963, qôwl) highlights the sincerity and earnestness of the psalmist's appeal, underscoring that prayer can be a physical, embodied act of faith and vulnerability, demonstrating the depth of one's need before God.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Psalm 77:1 masterfully employs several literary devices to convey the psalmist's intense emotional state and the nature of his prayer. The most striking is Repetition, specifically a form of Epizeuxis, seen in the immediate and emphatic reiteration of the phrase "I cried unto God with my voice, even unto God with my voice." This exact repetition of the entire clause serves to dramatically amplify the urgency, desperation, and singular focus of the psalmist's plea. It conveys an insistent, almost pleading, call to God, emphasizing that this is no casual prayer but a deeply earnest and persistent cry. This repetition also creates a strong sense of Emphasis, immediately drawing the reader's attention to the psalmist's overwhelming distress and the profound act of crying out. Furthermore, the phrase "and he gave ear unto me" utilizes Anthropomorphism, attributing a human physical characteristic (ears) and action (giving ear) to God. This device makes God's attentiveness more relatable and immediate for the human worshiper, reassuring the psalmist and the audience that God is not distant or indifferent but actively engaged with human suffering.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalm 77:1 introduces the profound theological truth that God is not only accessible but also profoundly attentive to the cries of His people, even in their deepest anguish. This initial declaration, despite the psalmist's subsequent wrestling with doubt and despair, establishes a foundational principle of biblical faith: that genuine, heartfelt lament is a legitimate and necessary form of prayer, and that God hears such prayers. It underscores the intimate, covenantal relationship where God commits to listening to and engaging with the burdens and anguish of His people. This verse sets the stage for the psalm's journey from personal despair to a remembrance of God's steadfast character and mighty acts in history, demonstrating that even when God feels distant or silent, the act of crying out in faith is the indispensable first step towards renewed hope and trust in His divine responsiveness.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Psalm 77:1 offers profound encouragement and validation for believers navigating seasons of intense distress, doubt, or spiritual darkness. It teaches us that authentic faith does not demand stoicism or the suppression of pain, but rather invites us to bring our raw, unvarnished anguish directly to God. The psalmist's repeated, vocal cry models a desperate earnestness that God not only tolerates but welcomes. In a world that often pressures us to present a facade of strength, this verse reminds us that vulnerability before God is a pathway to genuine connection and healing. It assures us that even when our prayers feel like desperate shouts into the void, God's ear is inclined towards us, and His compassionate attention is unwavering. This foundational trust in God's hearing, even amidst the wrestling, empowers us to persist in prayer, knowing that our cries are never unheard, and that the journey from lament to renewed hope often begins with this honest, vocal outpouring of our deepest fears and desires.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why is the psalmist's cry repeated ("even unto God with my voice")?
Answer: The repetition of "I cried unto God with my voice, even unto God with my voice" is a powerful literary device, specifically Epizeuxis, used to emphasize the intensity, urgency, and singular focus of the psalmist's plea. It conveys a profound sense of desperation and persistence, indicating that this was not a casual prayer but an earnest, almost relentless, outpouring of anguish. This rhetorical emphasis underscores the depth of the psalmist's distress and his unwavering conviction that God is the only one who can provide relief, setting the stage for the deep spiritual wrestling that unfolds in the rest of Psalm 77.
Does "he gave ear unto me" mean God immediately answered the psalmist's prayer?
Answer: While "he gave ear unto me" signifies God's attentiveness and willingness to hear, it does not necessarily imply an immediate or complete resolution to the psalmist's distress. In the context of Psalm 77 as a whole, the psalmist continues to express deep anguish and doubt in subsequent verses (e.g., Psalms 77:2-9). Therefore, "he gave ear unto me" functions more as a foundational statement of faith in God's character—that He is a God who hears—rather than a declaration of immediate deliverance. It sets up the tension between the psalmist's present suffering and his underlying trust in God's ultimate responsiveness, a trust that is ultimately affirmed through remembering God's mighty acts in history.
What is the significance of the superscription "To the chief Musician, to Jeduthun, A Psalm of Asaph"?
Answer: The superscription provides crucial information for understanding the psalm's origin and purpose. "A Psalm of Asaph" attributes the psalm to Asaph, one of the three chief Levitical musicians appointed by King David to lead worship in the tabernacle and later the temple. This indicates its authoritative origin and its place within the sacred music of Israel. "To the chief Musician" (or "choir director") signifies that it was intended for public liturgical use, under the guidance of the lead musician. "To Jeduthun" likely refers to a specific musical instruction, perhaps a tune, a style of performance, or a particular choir division associated with Jeduthun, another prominent Levitical musician. Together, these elements highlight the psalm's role in the structured worship life of ancient Israel, suggesting it was used to guide the community in expressing lament and seeking God's presence, providing a framework for both individual and corporate worship.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalm 77:1, with its raw depiction of desperate crying out to God and the affirmation of His attentive ear, finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. While the psalmist cries out from a place of personal anguish, Jesus, the perfect Man and Son of God, experienced the deepest human suffering and cried out to His Father. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus "offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears" (Hebrews 5:7), demonstrating the ultimate embodiment of desperate supplication. His cry on the cross, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:46), echoes the deepest lament, yet it was precisely through this ultimate cry of abandonment that God's ear was attentive, not to spare Him from the cross, but to accomplish salvation for humanity. Through Christ's perfect obedience and sacrificial death, humanity's cries for deliverance from sin and death are heard and answered. Believers now have direct access to God's attentive ear through Christ, our great High Priest, who "is able to sympathize with our weaknesses" (Hebrews 4:15). Thus, the psalmist's initial hope that God "gave ear unto me" is fully realized in the new covenant, where every cry of the believer is heard by a Father who sent His Son to bridge the gap, ensuring that in Christ, we always have an advocate before the throne of grace (1 John 2:1).