Psalms 77:15

Thou hast with [thine] arm redeemed thy people, the sons of Jacob and Joseph. Selah.

Thou hast with thine arm {H2220} redeemed {H1350}{H8804)} thy people {H5971}, the sons {H1121} of Jacob {H3290} and Joseph {H3130}. Selah {H5542}.

With your arm you redeemed your people, the descendants of Ya'akov and Yosef. (Selah)

With power You redeemed Your people, the sons of Jacob and Joseph. Selah

Thou hast with thine arm redeemed thy people, The sons of Jacob and Joseph. [Selah

Psalm 77:15 is a powerful declaration of God's redemptive work and mighty power, marking a turning point in the psalmist's reflection from despair to renewed faith.

Context

This verse appears in the middle of Psalm 77, a psalm of Asaph. The first part of the psalm (verses 1-10) expresses deep distress, questioning God's presence and faithfulness in a time of trouble. The psalmist remembers past days and wonders if God has forgotten His promises. However, from verse 11 onwards, there's a shift. The psalmist resolves to remember and meditate on God's past wondrous deeds, and verse 15 serves as a foundational affirmation of God's historical intervention, specifically referencing the deliverance of Israel from bondage.

Key Themes

  • Divine Redemption and Deliverance: The core message is God's active and powerful role in saving His people. This wasn't by human strength or cunning, but solely by His divine intervention.
  • God's Mighty Arm: The phrase "thine arm" is a powerful metaphor for God's irresistible strength, power, and ability to execute His will and deliver His people. It signifies the might displayed in acts like the Exodus from Egypt.
  • Covenant Faithfulness: By redeeming "the sons of Jacob and Joseph," the verse highlights God's unwavering commitment to His chosen covenant people, Israel, representing all twelve tribes. This points to His enduring faithfulness across generations.
  • Historical Foundation of Faith: The psalm encourages believers to draw strength and hope from remembering God's past acts of salvation. What God has done before, He can do again.

Linguistic Insights

  • "Arm" (Hebrew: zeroa', זְרוֹעַ): This term is frequently used in the Old Testament to denote God's power and strength, particularly in acts of salvation and judgment. It implies an outstretched, active, and irresistible force, as seen in descriptions of the Exodus (e.g., Exodus 6:6).
  • "Redeemed" (Hebrew: ga'al, גָּאַל): This word carries the sense of acting as a kinsman-redeemer, buying back, or delivering from bondage or peril. It speaks of a personal, active, and proprietary act of liberation.
  • "Sons of Jacob and Joseph": This is a poetic way to refer to the entire nation of Israel. Jacob, whose name was changed to Israel (Genesis 32:28), is the patriarch, and Joseph represents the two tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, which were very prominent in the northern kingdom. This inclusive language emphasizes that God's redemption covered all His people.
  • "Selah": This term, appearing at the end of the verse, is a musical or liturgical notation often found in the Psalms. It typically indicates a pause for reflection, contemplation, or a musical interlude, inviting the reader to meditate deeply on the truth just stated.

Practical Application

Psalm 77:15 offers profound encouragement for believers today. When facing personal trials or societal challenges, this verse reminds us:

  • God's Power is Unchanging: The same "arm" that delivered Israel from Egypt is still mighty and able to act on behalf of His people today.
  • Remembering History Builds Faith: Recalling God's past faithfulness, both in biblical history and in our personal lives, strengthens our trust in His present and future help.
  • Trust in Divine Intervention: Rather than relying on human strength or ingenuity, we are called to trust in God's sovereign power to redeem and deliver.
  • Hope in Redemption: While this verse speaks of historical deliverance, it also points forward to the ultimate redemption found in Jesus Christ, who redeemed humanity from sin and death through His sacrifice.
Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Exodus 6:6

    Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I [am] the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments:

  • Deuteronomy 9:29

    Yet they [are] thy people and thine inheritance, which thou broughtest out by thy mighty power and by thy stretched out arm.

  • Psalms 74:2

    Remember thy congregation, [which] thou hast purchased of old; the rod of thine inheritance, [which] thou hast redeemed; this mount Zion, wherein thou hast dwelt.

  • Deuteronomy 9:26

    I prayed therefore unto the LORD, and said, O Lord GOD, destroy not thy people and thine inheritance, which thou hast redeemed through thy greatness, which thou hast brought forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand.

  • Isaiah 63:9

    In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old.

  • Genesis 48:3

    And Jacob said unto Joseph, God Almighty appeared unto me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me,

  • Genesis 48:20

    And he blessed them that day, saying, In thee shall Israel bless, saying, God make thee as Ephraim and as Manasseh: and he set Ephraim before Manasseh.

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