PSALM 77: Remember the Years of the Right Hand of the Most High

Psalm 77:

I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient times.

 ...but I will remember the years of the
right hand of the Most High.

 ...call to remembrance my song in the night:

I commune with mine own heart: and my spirit made diligent search.

vs.5,10,6

"The psalm is the voice of an individual, but since he speaks on behalf of the nation, the psalm may best be called a national lament psalm.

When he thought about God, it only caused him to complain bitterly. But beginning in verse 10, the

psalmist’s mood starts to change because he commits himself to focusing on God’s goodness and past acts of deliverance. His lament then changes into a hymn of praise.

I.          The Irritations of a Depressed Soul (77:1-9)

I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. vs.3

II.         The Intention to Refocus the Mind (77:10-15)

...surely I will remember thy wonders of old. vs.11

III.       The Illustrations of God’s Past Blessings (77:16-20)

 Thou leddest thy people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron. vs.20

Is his mercy clean gone for ever? doth [his] promise fail for evermore? vs.8

The word rendered "clean gone" means to fail; to fail utterly. The idea is, can it be that the compassion of God has become exhausted? That no more mercy is to be shown to mankind.

 

I will remember the works of the LORD: surely I will remember thy wonders of old. vs.11

That is, I will call them to remembrance, or I will reflect on them. I will look to what God has "done," that I may learn his true character.

 

I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient times. vs.5 If no good was in the present, memory ransacked the past to find consolation. She fain would borrow a light from the altars of yesterday to light the gloom of today.

 

 I call to remembrance my song in the night. vs.6 At other times his spirit had a song for the darkest hour, but now he could only recall the strain as a departed memory.

 

The waters saw thee, O God, the waters saw thee; they were afraid: the depths also were troubled. vs.16

“Waters … they were afraid”: A dramatic picture of God’s parting the waters of the Red Sea.... the Jordan river opened at the sight of the Ark of the Covenant as well.

 God's way is in the sanctuary.

We are sure that God is holy in all his works."

Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary:

who is so great
a God as our God?

vs.13

BooksOfTheBible/CharlesSpurgeon/MatthewHenry