Psalms 77:8

Is his mercy clean gone for ever? doth [his] promise fail for evermore?

Is his mercy {H2617} clean gone {H656}{H8804)} for ever {H5331}? doth his promise {H562} fail {H1584}{H8804)} for evermore {H1755}{H1755}?

Has his grace permanently disappeared? Is his word to all generations done away?

Is His loving devotion gone forever? Has His promise failed for all time?

Is his lovingkindness clean gone for ever? Doth his promise fail for evermore?

Context of Psalms 77:8

Psalm 77 is a lament psalm written by Asaph, a chief musician and seer in ancient Israel. The psalmist is deeply troubled, expressing profound spiritual anguish and questioning God's past faithfulness in the face of present suffering. This verse, "Is his mercy clean gone for ever? doth [his] promise fail for evermore?", is part of a series of rhetorical questions (see also Psalm 77:7 and Psalm 77:9) that voice the psalmist's despair and doubt. He is struggling to reconcile his current difficulties with his understanding of God's character and historical actions, particularly the divine interventions experienced by the nation of Israel.

Key Themes and Messages

  • The Struggle of Doubt: This verse poignantly captures the human struggle with doubt, even for devout believers. It reveals a soul grappling with the perceived silence or absence of God's intervention during times of severe distress.
  • God's Unfailing Mercy and Promises: Despite the psalmist's desperate questioning, the very act of asking these questions implies a prior knowledge and expectation of God's mercy and promises. The core tension is between the present experience and the established truth of God's unchanging character. The psalm ultimately moves towards a remembrance of God's mighty acts, suggesting that these questions are answered not by God's failure, but by a renewed focus on His past faithfulness (as seen in Psalm 77:10 onwards).
  • The Reliability of God's Word: The phrase "doth his promise fail for evermore?" directly addresses the integrity and reliability of God's covenant word. It touches on the fundamental assurance that God's declarations are steadfast and trustworthy, even when circumstances seem to contradict them.

Linguistic Insights

The word translated "mercy" in the KJV is the Hebrew term chesed (or hesed), which is much richer than just pity or compassion. It signifies God's steadfast love, covenant loyalty, and unfailing faithfulness. It's a foundational concept for understanding God's relationship with His people, emphasizing His committed, enduring love. The psalmist's question about chesed being "clean gone for ever" reflects a deep fear that God has permanently withdrawn His essential character of loyal love. Similarly, "promise fail" refers to God's declared word or oath, suggesting a concern that the very foundation of divine reliability might be crumbling.

Practical Application

Psalms 77:8 offers profound comfort and insight for believers today. It normalizes the experience of spiritual doubt and anguish, showing that even deeply spiritual individuals like Asaph wrestled with God's perceived absence. When we face overwhelming challenges and question if God has forgotten us or if His promises are no longer valid, this verse reminds us:

  • It's Okay to Question: Expressing honest doubt and pain to God is part of a real relationship with Him.
  • God's Nature is Unchanging: While our feelings may fluctuate, God's character of steadfast love and faithfulness does not. His promises do not fail (Malachi 3:6, 2 Timothy 2:13).
  • Remember His Past Faithfulness: The psalm's turning point (from verse 10) encourages us to recall God's past actions and promises as a source of strength and hope when doubt assails us. His mercies are new every morning.

This verse serves as a powerful reminder that even in our darkest moments of questioning, God's mercy and promise remain eternally steadfast.

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.

  • Numbers 23:19

    God [is] not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do [it]? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?

  • 2 Peter 3:9

    ¶ The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

  • Romans 9:6

    ¶ Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they [are] not all Israel, which are of Israel:

  • Numbers 14:34

    After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, [even] forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, [even] forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise.

  • Luke 16:25

    But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.

  • Luke 16:26

    And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that [would come] from thence.

  • Isaiah 27:11

    When the boughs thereof are withered, they shall be broken off: the women come, [and] set them on fire: for it [is] a people of no understanding: therefore he that made them will not have mercy on them, and he that formed them will shew them no favour.

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