Psalms 77:11-20
Verse 11. I will remember the works of the Lord] I endeavour to recollect what thou hast done in behalf of our fathers in past times; in no case hast thou cast them off, when, with humbled hearts, they sought thy mercy. Verse 13. Thy way-is in the sanctuary] See Ps 73:17. I must go to the sanctuary now to get comfort, as I went before to get instruction. What a mercy to have the privilege of drawing near to God in his ordinances! How many doubts have been solved, fears dissipated, hearts comforted, darknesses dispelled, and snares broken, while waiting on God in the means of grace! Some understand the words, Thy way is in holiness-all thy dispensations, words, and works are holy, just and true. And as is thy majesty, so is thy mercy! O, who is so great a God as our God? Verse 14. Thou-doest wonders] Every act of God, whether in nature or grace, in creation or providence, is wondrous; surpasses all power but his own; and can be comprehended only by his own wisdom. To the general observer, his strength is most apparent; to the investigator of nature, his wisdom; and to the genuine Christian, his mercy and love. Verse 15. The sons of Jacob and Joseph.] "The sons which Jacob begat and Joseph nourished." says the Chaldee. The Israelites are properly called the sons of Joseph as well as of Jacob, seeing Ephraim and Manasseh, his sons, were taken into the number of the tribes. All the latter part of this Psalm refers to the deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt; and the psalmist uses this as an argument to excite the expectation of the captives. As God delivered our fathers from Egypt, so we may expect him to deliver us from Chaldea. It required his arm to do the former, and that arm is not shortened that it cannot save. Verse 16. The waters saw thee] What a fine image! He represents God approaching the Red Sea; and the waters, seeing him, took fright, and ran off before him, dividing to the right and left to let him pass. I have not found any thing more majestic than this. The depths also were troubled.] Every thing appears here to have life and perception. The waters see the Almighty, do not wait his coming, but in terror flee away! The deeps, uncovered, are astonished at the circumstance; and as they cannot fly, they are filled with trouble and dismay. Under the hand of such a poet, inanimate nature springs into life; all thinks, speaks, acts; all is in motion, and the dismay is general. Verse 17. The clouds poured out water] It appears from this that there was a violent tempest at the time of the passage of the Red Sea. There was a violent storm of thunder, lightning, and rain. These three things are distinctly marked here. 1. "The skies sent out a sound:" the THUNDER. 2. "Thine arrows went abroad:" the LIGHTNING. 3. "The clouds poured out water:" the RAIN. In the next verse we have, 4. An EARTHQUAKE: "The earth trembled and shook," Ps 77:18. Verse 19. Thy way is in the sea] Thou didst walk through the sea, thy path was through a multitude of waters. Thy footsteps are not known.] It was evident from the effects that God was there: but his track could not be discovered; still he is the Infinite Spirit, without parts, limits, or passions. No object of sense. Verse 20. Thou leddest thy people like a flock] This may refer to the pillar of cloud and fire. It went before them, and they followed it. So, in the eastern countries, the shepherd does not drive, but leads, his flock. He goes before them to find them pasture, and they regularly follow him. By the hand of Moses and Aaron.] They were God's agents; and acted, in civil and sacred things, just as directed by the Most High. ANALYSIS OF THE SEVENTY-SEVENTH PSALM In this Psalm the prophet shows the bitter agony which a troubled spirit undergoes from a sense of God's displeasure; and the comfort which it afterwards receives through faith in his promises. There are two parts in this Psalm:- I. The psalmist sets forth the strife between the flesh and the spirit; and how the flesh tempts the spirit to despair, and calls in question the goodness of God, Ps 77:1-10. II. Next, he shows the victory of the spirit over the flesh; being raised, encouraged, and confirmed by the nature, promises, and works of God, Ps 77:11-20. This is an excellent Psalm, and of great use in spiritual desertion. I. The strife. The prophet betakes himself to God. 1. He prays. 2. Prays often. 3. Prays earnestly. 4. And with a troubled soul. The Psalm is, therefore, not the expression of a despairing soul, but of one that has a great conflict with temptation. Though he complains, yet he despairs not. I. His complaint is bitter, and he sets down how he was exercised. 1. He found no intermission; day and night he was in distress. His voice was continually lifted up, and his hands constantly stretched out to God in prayer. When no man saw him, he prayed. His complaint was in secret, and far from hypocrisy, which always loves to have witnesses. 2. He refused to be comforted, Ps 77:2. 3. Even the "remembrance of God troubled him," Ps 77:3. 4. His soul was overwhelmed, Ps 77:3. 5. He became at last speechless through grief, Ps 77:4. 6. All sleep departed from him, Ps 77:4. II. He shows that his grief was aggravated by a consideration of the happiness he once enjoyed, but had lost. 1. He had considered the days of old, Ps 77:5. 2. He could rejoice in and praise God, Ps 77:6. 3. But now, on diligent search, all good is gone, Ps 77:6. 4. His debate between hope and despair, which leads him to break out in the following interrogations: 1. Will the Lord cast off for ever? 2. Will he be favourable no more? 3. Is his mercy clean gone? 4. Doth his promise fail? 5. Hath God forgotten to be gracious? 6. Hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? Ps 77:7-9. II. How he is restored. 1. He begins with a correction of himself: "I said, This is my infirmity," Ps 77:10. 2. Takes encouragement from a remembrance,- (1) Of God's ways: "I will remember-the right hand of the Most High," Ps 77:10. (2) Of his WORKS: "I will remember thy wonders of old," Ps 77:11. 3. On these he will meditate and discourse, Ps 77:12. (1) He then addresses his speech to God; who he understands is to be sought in his sanctuary, Ps 77:13. (2) And who is "infinitely great and good," Ps 77:13. (3) Who has declared his strength among the people, Ps 77:14. (4) And particularly to the descendants of Jacob, Ps 77:15. III. He amplifies the story of their deliverance from Egypt by several instances of God's power. 1. In the RED SEA: "The waters saw thee," Ps 77:16. 2. In the HEAVENS: "The clouds poured out water, Ps 77:17. 3. In the EARTH: "The earth trembled and shook," Ps 77:18. IV. The final cause of all was that he might lead his people out of their bondage, and destroy their enemies, Ps 77:19, 20.
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