TRV
Study This Verse
Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Psalms 77:1–10. His three-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
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 Note, Days of trouble must be days of prayer, days of inward trouble especially, when God seems to have withdrawn from us; we must seek him and seek till we find him.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?
Historical interpretation
Two Centuries of Reception
4 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
Prayers are recited early in the morning so that the first movements of the soul and the mind may be consecrated to God and that we may take up no other consideration before we have been cheered and heartened by the thought of God, as it is written: “I remembered God and was delighted,” and that the body may not busy itself with tasks before we have fulfilled the words “To you will I pray, O Lord; in the morning you shall hear my voice. In the morning I will stand before you and will see.”
Let us flee from here. You can flee in spirit, even though you are kept back in body. You can both be here and be in the presence of the Lord, if your soul clings to him and you walk after him in your thoughts, if you follow his ways, not in pretense but in faith, and take refuge in him. For he is a refuge and a power, and David says to him, “I fled to you for refuge, and I was not deceived.” And so, because God is a refuge, and because he is, moreover, in heaven and above the heavens, surely we must flee from here to there, where there is peace and rest from labors and where we can feast upon the great sabbath, even as Moses said, “And the sabbaths of the land shall be food for you.” For it is a banquet, and one filled with enjoyment and serenity, to rest in God and to look on his delight. We have taken refuge with God; shall we return to the world? We have died to sin; shall we seek sins again? We have renounced the world and the use of it; shall we stick fast again in its mire?
..."My soul has refused to be comforted" [Psalm 77:2]. So great weariness did here possess me, that my soul did close the door against all comfort. Whence such weariness to him? It may be that his vineyard has been hailed on, or his olive has yielded no fruit, or the vintage has been interrupted by rain. Whence the weariness to him? Hear this out of another Psalm. For therein is the voice of the same: "weariness has bowed me down, because of sinners forsaking Your law." He says then that he was overcome with so great weariness because of this sort of evil thing; so as that his soul refused to be comforted. Weariness had well near swallowed him up, and sorrow had ingulfed him altogether beyond remedy, he refuses to be comforted. What then remained? In the first place, see whence he is comforted. Had he not waited for one who might condole with him?. .."I have been mindful of God, and I have been delighted" [Psalm 77:3]. My hands had not wrought in vain, they had found a great comforter. While not being idle, "I have been mindful of God, and I have been delighted." God must therefore be praised, of whom this man being mindful, has been delighted, and has been comforted in sorrowful case, and refreshed when safety was in a manner despaired of: God must therefore be praised. In fine, because he has been comforted, in continuation he says, "I have babbled." In that same comfort being made mindful of God, I have been delighted, and have "babbled." What is, "I have babbled"? I have rejoiced, I have exulted in speaking. For babblers they are properly called, that by the common people are named talkative, who at the approach of joy are neither able nor willing to be silent. This man has become such an one. And again he says what? "And my spirit has fainted."
Notice, too, what the psalmist said. When he told them, “On the day of my distress I sought God,” he also added, “My hands were stretched out”; further, “by night” and also “before him.” What is distress? What does it mean to stretch out one’s hands, and what does it mean to do so before God? There is distress when we suffer annoyances and stretching out of hands [when we engage] in good deeds. Searching by night occurs in this world when the truth has not yet shed light. This world will certainly come to an end and will meet Christ [in judgment]. And when Christ comes, he will be like the sun shining in the hearts of all people. Why did he add “before him”? The person who stretches out his hands performs good deeds. However, the person who thus performs good deeds in order to please people does not do so before God; that is, in order to please him rather than human beings. Quite rightly, then, “I was not deceived” follows; a person who has sought God in this way [may say,] “I have not been deceived.” He has found what he was seeking, and therefore he has told us, “Ask, seek, knock.”
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Summary
Psalms 77:3 profoundly captures the psalmist's intense spiritual and emotional anguish, revealing a paradoxical experience where the very act of remembering God, instead of bringing comfort, exacerbates his distress, leading to open lament and an overwhelming sense of despair. This verse serves as a raw, honest confession of deep inner turmoil, illustrating that even profound faith can coexist with significant emotional and spiritual struggle, culminating in the liturgical pause indicated by "Selah."
Context
Literary Context
Psalm 77 is a deeply personal lament attributed to Asaph, a prominent Levite and choirmaster during the Davidic and Solomonic eras. The psalm opens with an intense portrayal of the psalmist's distress, sleepless nights, and persistent crying out to God, as detailed in Psalms 77:1-2. Verse 3 is integral to this initial outpouring, articulating the profound internal struggle that follows even the act of remembering God. The psalm then transitions from this profound individual sorrow, which spans Psalms 77:1-9, to a deliberate and transformative act of remembering God's past mighty deeds and enduring faithfulness, as seen in Psalms 77:10-20, ultimately finding solace and a renewed perspective in His unchanging character and powerful acts of salvation.
Historical & Cultural Context
While the specific historical trigger for Asaph's distress is not explicitly stated, psalms of lament often reflect periods of national crisis, such as invasion, exile, or oppression, or intense personal suffering. Asaph, as a Levite and chief musician, would have been deeply involved in Israel's worship and national life, making his personal anguish potentially reflective of broader communal suffering or a profound theological struggle within the covenant community. The cultural context of ancient Israel, unlike many surrounding pagan cultures that demanded appeasement, uniquely allowed for and even encouraged raw, honest, and vulnerable expression of emotion before God. The recurring inclusion of "Selah" throughout the Psalter, including here, further underscores the psalm's liturgical or meditative function within this worship context, inviting pauses for contemplation.
Key Themes
Psalms 77:3 encapsulates several key themes prevalent throughout the Psalter and the broader biblical narrative. It highlights the stark reality of spiritual distress and the legitimacy of lament within the life of faith, demonstrating that profound inner turmoil and anxiety are not antithetical to belief in God. The verse also presents a striking paradox of faith in suffering, where the very act of remembering God, which should typically bring comfort, instead intensifies the psalmist's pain, perhaps by contrasting God's past faithfulness with his current perception of abandonment or silence. This honest expression of grief and complaint before God underscores the theme of radical honesty in prayer, mirroring other passages where believers pour out their hearts, as seen in Psalm 42:5. Finally, the enigmatic "Selah" invites reflection and contemplation, prompting the reader to pause and absorb the weight of the psalmist's confession, a common feature in the book of Psalms.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This word (H2142) is a primitive root meaning "to mark (so as to be recognized), i.e., to remember; by implication, to mention." In this context, it signifies an active mental recall of God, His character, or His past deeds. The psalmist is not merely thinking of God passively but is actively bringing God to mind, yet this act, surprisingly, does not bring solace but intensified distress.
From the primitive root (H1993), this word means "to make a loud sound" or "to be in great commotion or tumult, to rage, war, moan, clamor." It conveys a deep, internal agitation, a roaring or groaning within the soul. It suggests not just passive trouble but an active, unsettling disturbance, indicating a profound emotional and spiritual disquietude that is both deeply felt and potentially expressed.
This primitive root (H5848) means "to shroud, i.e., clothe (whether transitive or reflex.); hence (from the idea of darkness) to languish." Metaphorically, it conveys the idea of fainting, growing weak, or being completely enveloped by despair, as if the spirit is draped in a heavy shroud of despondency and losing all strength. It signifies a profound sense of helplessness and desolation, a complete covering of the spirit by sorrow.
Verse Breakdown
"I remembered God, and was troubled"
This opening clause presents a profound paradox. For the believer, remembering God is typically a source of comfort, strength, and hope, often recalling His faithfulness and power. Yet, for the psalmist in his deep distress, the memory of God—perhaps of His past mighty acts, His covenant promises, or His perceived absence in his current suffering—serves only to intensify his inner turmoil and agitation. This suggests a struggle with God's character or His perceived inaction in the face of overwhelming pain, leading to a deeper sense of confusion and disquiet.
"I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed"
Following the internal disquiet, the psalmist actively expresses his grief and frustration. This "complaining" (from sîyach) is not a rebellious outburst but an honest pouring out of his heart to God, a vocalization of his inner turmoil. The consequence of this intense emotional release and the underlying distress is that his "spirit was overwhelmed," indicating a complete loss of strength and a profound sense of despondency, as if his very being was covered and suffocated by despair, leaving him feeling utterly helpless.
"Selah"
This enigmatic term, appearing frequently in the Psalms, is generally understood as a musical or liturgical direction. Here, it functions as a pause, inviting the reader or listener to reflect deeply on the profound confession of trouble and overwhelming despair that has just been uttered. It marks a moment for the weight of the psalmist's raw emotion to sink in, emphasizing the gravity of his spiritual state before the psalm continues its journey from lament to remembrance and hope.
Literary Devices
The verse powerfully employs several literary devices to convey the psalmist's anguish. Paradox is central, as the expected comfort from remembering God is inverted, leading instead to intensified trouble. This unexpected outcome highlights the depth of the psalmist's despair and the complexity of his spiritual state. The use of strong verbs like "troubled" (hâmâh) and "overwhelmed" (ʻâṭaph) constitutes hyperbole and intensification, vividly portraying an extreme emotional state beyond ordinary sadness, suggesting a soul in violent internal upheaval. The entire verse functions as a lament and confession, a direct and unvarnished expression of inner turmoil to God. Although not directly addressing God in this specific verse, the broader context of the psalm implies an apostrophe, as the psalmist's cry is ultimately directed towards the divine. The inclusion of "Selah" acts as a rhetorical marker, signaling a moment of pause and emphasis, drawing the reader's attention to the profound emotional weight of the preceding statement and inviting contemplation.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Psalms 77:3 offers profound theological insight into the nature of faith and suffering. It legitimizes the experience of deep spiritual distress and the act of lament, demonstrating that genuine faith does not preclude intense emotional turmoil, even when contemplating God. The psalmist's honesty in expressing his "trouble" and being "overwhelmed" underscores God's capacity to receive our rawest emotions and deepest complaints without judgment. This verse teaches us that the journey of faith is not always one of immediate comfort but often involves wrestling with difficult emotions and perceived divine silence, ultimately trusting that God is present even in our despondency. It sets the stage for the psalmist's later shift from focusing on his own pain to remembering God's past faithfulness, a common trajectory in biblical lament, illustrating how acknowledging pain can be a pathway to renewed hope.
Reflection and Application
Psalms 77:3 provides immense comfort by normalizing the experience of profound spiritual and emotional struggle within the life of faith. It assures us that it is not a sign of weak faith to feel troubled, to complain, or to be overwhelmed, even when we are actively remembering God. The psalmist models radical honesty before God, inviting us to bring our full, unvarnished selves—our confusion, our despair, our complaints—into His presence. This verse reminds us that God is big enough to handle our deepest anguish and that the path to renewed hope often begins with acknowledging and articulating our pain. Rather than suppressing difficult emotions, we are encouraged to pour them out, trusting that even in our most overwhelmed state, God is listening and capable of leading us through the darkness, as the psalmist's journey through the rest of the psalm demonstrates. This transparency fosters a deeper, more authentic relationship with our Creator, who understands our frame and remembers that we are dust.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why would remembering God cause trouble for the psalmist?
The psalmist's trouble upon remembering God is a profound paradox that resonates with many believers. It likely stems from a painful contrast between God's past acts of faithfulness, His covenant promises, or His inherent goodness, and the psalmist's current experience of suffering, perceived abandonment, or divine silence. Instead of finding solace, the memory of what God has done or should be doing intensifies his present distress, leading to confusion, doubt, and a sense of being forgotten or forsaken. This is a common theme in laments, where the believer wrestles with God's character in the face of inexplicable pain, as seen in Psalm 13:1. It highlights the reality that faith does not always remove suffering but often involves wrestling with it in God's presence.
What is the significance of "Selah" at the end of this verse?
"Selah" is a term of uncertain meaning, but it is widely understood as a musical or liturgical direction, likely indicating a pause for reflection, emphasis, or a musical interlude. In the context of Psalms 77:3, "Selah" serves to punctuate the psalmist's raw confession of trouble and overwhelming despair. It forces the reader or listener to pause, allowing the profound weight of the preceding words to sink in, emphasizing the depth of the psalmist's anguish before the narrative of the psalm continues. It's a moment to contemplate the gravity of his spiritual state, inviting personal meditation on the intensity of his emotion.
Is it acceptable for believers to complain to God or feel overwhelmed?
Absolutely. The Psalms, particularly the laments, provide abundant biblical precedent for believers to express their raw emotions, including complaints, anger, confusion, and feelings of being overwhelmed, directly to God. The psalmist's honesty in Psalms 77:3 is a model for us, demonstrating that authentic faith embraces vulnerability. God is not intimidated by our emotions; rather, He invites us to bring our whole selves, our deepest pains and frustrations, into His presence. This act of lament is an act of faith, trusting that God is capable of handling our honest expressions and that He cares for us even in our most desperate moments, as encouraged in 1 Peter 5:7.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
The profound lament of the psalmist in Psalms 77:3, where remembering God leads to being troubled and overwhelmed, finds its ultimate and most poignant fulfillment in the person of Jesus Christ. While the psalmist grappled with the perception of God's absence or inaction, Jesus, the Son of God, truly experienced divine abandonment and overwhelming anguish for the sake of humanity. On the cross, Jesus cried out, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:46), a direct echo of the psalmist's lament (Psalm 22:1). He was truly troubled and overwhelmed in the Garden of Gethsemane, even to the point of sweating blood, as His soul was "overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death" (Matthew 26:38). Christ, therefore, fully sympathizes with our weaknesses and our moments of being overwhelmed, for He has experienced them Himself, yet without sin (Hebrews 4:15). His suffering transforms the psalmist's cry of despair into a promise of hope, for through His ultimate sacrifice and resurrection, He conquered the very forces that overwhelm us, offering true peace that transcends all understanding (John 16:33). In Christ, our troubled spirits find a High Priest who understands and an ultimate deliverer who has overcome the world, inviting us to cast all our anxieties upon Him (1 Peter 5:7).