Psalm 77

Authorship

This psalm was authored by Asaph.

Outline

(This began as Wendland's Expository Outline, but may be adapted.)

I. I cried. (1)

A. Unto God with my voice.

B. He gave ear unto me.

II. I sought the Lord in my day of trouble. (2)

A. My sore ran in the night.

B. My soul refused to be comforted.

III. I was troubled. (3-4)

A. I complained.

B. My spirit was overwhelmed. Selah.

C. I could not sleep.

D. I could not speak.

IV. I sought an answer for my trouble. I considered: (5-6)

A. The days of old.

B. The years of ancient times.

C. I remembered my song in the night

D. I communed with mine own heart and my spirit made diligent search

V. I questioned. (7-9)

A. Will the Lord cast off for ever?

B. Will He be favorable no more?

C. Is His mercy clean gone for ever?

D. Doth His promise fail for evermore?

E. Has God forgotten to be gracious?

F. Has He in anger shut up His tender mercies? Selah.

VI. I considered: He changed from praying, questioning, and focusing on the problem to meditation on what God had done in the past. (10-20)

A. The years of the right hand of the most High.

B. The works of the Lord.

C. The wonders and works of old.

1. Your way is in the sanctuary.

2. There is no one as great as You.

D. You declared Your strength among the people and redeemed them.

E. The waters saw You and were afraid: the depths also were troubled.

F. The clouds poured out water: the skies sent out a sound.

G. Your arrows also went abroad.

H. The voice of Your thunder was in the heaven: the lightning lightened the world: the earth trembled and shook.

I. Your way is in the sea, Your path in the great waters, and Thy footsteps are not known.

J. You led Your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

Textual Criticism

The following is from Barthélemy's Critique textuelle de l’Ancien Testament volume on the Psalms. For a key to the various symbols and abbreviations, click here.

Ps 77,3(2) נֶגְדֹּה {C} G, S(?) // err-graph: MT, σ', Hebr נִגּרָה

Ps 77,7(6)A cor :אֶזְכְּרָה G, S // err-divis: MT, σ', Hebr, T אֶזְכְּרָה:

Ps 77,7(6)B cor נִגַּנְתִּי {C} G, S // err-ponct: MT, σ', Hebr, T נְגִינָתִי

Ps 77,7(6)C וַיְחַפֵּשׂ {B} MT, G, α', T // assim-ctext: g, σ', θ', Hebr, S clav וַאֲחַפֵּשׂ

Ps 77,11(10)A חַלּוֹתִי {B} MT, σ' // err-ponct: α', Hebr, S, T(1) clav חֲלוֹתִי

Ps 77,11(10)B שְׁנוֹת

Ps 77,12(11) מַעַלְלֵי־יָהּ כִּֽי {A} MT, G, T // abr-styl: σ', Hebr / mutil: S