Gloom, Despair and Agony on Me!

To the choirmaster: according to Jeduthun. A Psalm of Asaph.

This appears to be a companion psalm to 74, which also lamented the destruction of Jerusalem and the captivity of Israel. Both deal with the Lord’s apparent rejection of His people (74:1; 77:7), and both look for renewed hope back to the Exodus (74:12–15; 77:16–19). When Jerusalem fell, many Jews were slain and many were taken captive to Babylon. Asaph may have been in Jeremiah’s “circle” and left behind to minister to the suffering remnant (Jer. 30–40). But Asaph himself was suffering as he lay in bed at night (vv. 2, 6) and wrestled with the meaning of the terrible events he had witnessed. In this psalm, he described how he moved from disappointment and despair to confidence that the Lord would care for His people.

The Darkness of Despair (vv. 1–9)

1 I cry aloud to God,

aloud to God, and he will hear me.

2 In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord;

in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying;

my soul refuses to be comforted.

3 When I remember God, I moan;

when I meditate, my spirit faints. Selah

4 You hold my eyelids open;

I am so troubled that I cannot speak.

5 I consider the days of old,

the years long ago.

6 I said, “Let me remember my song in the night;

let me meditate in my heart.”

Then my spirit made a diligent search:

7 “Will the Lord spurn forever,

and never again be favorable?

8 Has his steadfast love forever ceased?

Are his promises at an end for all time?

9 Has God forgotten to be gracious?

Has he in anger shut up his compassion?” Selah

Unable to sleep, Asaph began by praying (vv. 1–2), then moved into remembering (vv. 3–6), and finally found himself questioning (vv. 7–9). In times of crisis and pain, prayer is the believer’s natural response, and Asaph reached out his hands in the darkness and cried out to the Lord. He was God’s servant and had led the people in worship in the temple, yet he found no comfort for his own heart. When he remembered the Lord and pondered the matter (v. 3; see 6, 11–12), he only groaned, for it seemed that the Lord had failed His people. But had He? Wasn’t the Lord being faithful to His covenant and chastening Israel for their sins? Their very chastening was proof of His love (Prov. 3:11–12). Asaph remembered the former years when Israel enjoyed God’s blessing, and he also recalled the songs he had sung at the temple, even when on duty at night (134; see 42:8; 92:2; Job 35:10). He had lifted his hands in the sanctuary and received the Lord’s blessing, but now he lifted his hands and received nothing.

It isn’t a sin to question God, for both David and Jesus asked the Lord the same question (22:1; Matt. 27:46), but it is a sin to demand an immediate answer or to suggest that God needs our counsel (Rom. 11:33–36).

It has well been said that we should never doubt in the darkness what God had told us in the light, but Asaph was about to do so. No matter what His hand is doing in our lives, His heart has not changed. He still loves us and always will.

The Dawn of Decision (vv. 10–12)

10 Then I said, “I will appeal to this,

to the years of the right hand of the Most High.”

11 I will remember the deeds of the Lord;

yes, I will remember your wonders of old.

12 I will ponder all your work,

and meditate on your mighty deeds.

During the crisis experiences of life, there comes a time when we must get ourselves by the nape of the neck and shake ourselves out of pity into reality, and that’s what Asaph did. The repeated “I will” indicates that he had come to the place of decision and determination. “It is my grief, that the right hand of the Most High has changed” (v. 10, nasb). That would be grief indeed if the character of God had altered! “God has deserted His people, and this is a burden I must bear!” He was wrong, of course, because the Lord doesn’t change (102:26; Num. 23:19; 1 Sam. 15:29). But he was right in that, by an act of will, he abandoned his former posture of doubt and determined to see the matter through, come what may. He decided to meditate on what God had done for Israel in the past and to learn from His deeds what He was intending for His people.

The Day of Deliverance (vv. 13–20)

13 Your way, O God, is holy.

What god is great like our God?

14 You are the God who works wonders;

you have made known your might among the peoples.

15 You with your arm redeemed your people,

the children of Jacob and Joseph. Selah

16 When the waters saw you, O God,

when the waters saw you, they were afraid;

indeed, the deep trembled.

17 The clouds poured out water;

the skies gave forth thunder;

your arrows flashed on every side.

18 The crash of your thunder was in the whirlwind;

your lightnings lighted up the world;

the earth trembled and shook.

19 Your way was through the sea,

your path through the great waters;

yet your footprints were unseen.

20 You led your people like a flock

by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

The pronouns suddenly change from “I” and “my” to “Thee” and “Thou,” referring to the Lord. When we look at our circumstances, we focus on ourselves and see no hope, but when we look by faith to the Lord, our circumstances may not change but we do. Asaph didn’t completely solve his problems, but he did move out of the shadows of doubt into the sunshine of communion with the Lord and confidence in Him.

First, he looked up by faith and rejoiced in the greatness of God (vv. 13–15). He realized that God’s ways are always holy, that He is a great God, and that His purposes are always right. See Exodus 15:11, 13, 14, and 16. Then Asaph looked back to Israel’s exodus from Egypt (Ex. 12–15) for proof of the grace and power of the Lord. Would God have bared His mighty arm to redeem Israel only for their destruction? No! These are the descendants of Jacob whose twelve sons founded the twelve tribes of Israel. These are the brethren of Joseph, whom God sent to Egypt to preserve the nation. Why preserve them if He planned to destroy them? The Exodus account says nothing about a storm, although it does mention a strong wind (Ex. 14:21). Some think that verses 17–18 refer to creation rather than to the Exodus, and creation does magnify God’s power and glory (but see Gen. 2:5–6).

As believers, we look back to Calvary, where the Lamb of God gave His life for us. If God the Father did not spare His own Son for us, will He not give us everything else that we need (Rom. 8:32)? There is a wonderful future for the people of God!

Finally, Asaph realized afresh that the Lord was the Shepherd of Israel (v. 20; see 74:1; 78:52, 70–72; 79:13; 80:1). Just as He called Moses and Aaron (Num. 33:1) and David (78:70–72) to lead His flock, so He would appoint other shepherds in the years to come. One day, the Good Shepherd would come and give His life for the sheep (John 10). Asaph had some struggles during this difficult period in his life, but in the end, he knew he could trust the Lord to work out everything for good, and like an obedient sheep, he submitted to the Shepherd. That is what we must do.

■ When we cannot discern God’s presence with us in times of adversity, we must be aware that, while his “footprints” may not be visible, he is still walking with us.

■ Even though God leads his people and leaves no footprints, he nevertheless has his surrogate shepherds like David.

The Shepherd Theme of Psalms 77–80

The Lord is Israel’s Shepherd, who led them out of Egypt through the Red Sea and will now punish their enemies and restore them. This theme was evidently intended to bring comfort and assurance to the exiles.

Psalm 77

“You led your people [through the Red Sea] like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron” (77:20).

Psalm 78

“But he brought his people out like a flock [out of Egypt]; he led them like sheep through the wilderness. He guided them safely, so they were unafraid” (78:52–53a).

“He chose David his servant and took him from the sheep pens; from tending the sheep he brought him to be the shepherd of his people Jacob, of Israel his inheritance. And David shepherded them with integrity of heart; with skillful hands he led them” (78:70–72).

Psalm 79

When God has avenged Israel’s enemies, “then we your people, the sheep of your pasture, will praise you forever” (79:13).

Psalm 80

In anticipation of God’s deliverance (from exile), the psalmist prays: “Hear us, Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock” (80:1).[1]

[1] C. Hassell Bullock, Psalms 73–150, ed. Mark L. Strauss and John H. Walton, vol. 2, Teach the Text Commentary Series (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books: A Division of Baker Publishing Group, 2017), 33.