Psalm 77

Help…to the UNCHANGING God?? Let’s remember His mighty acts!

Genre:

Poetry — (OT and NT) Literary compositions characterised by figurative language, wordplay, rhythm, balance, and emotional expression that are crafted in order to produce an emotional response in the reader.

Literary type of Psalm:

Title to v. 15: “Psalm, Complaint” — (OT) A psalm focused on a crisis or distress or oppression experienced by an individual or community. The psalm explains the crisis to God and asks for help.

v. 15-20 : “Psalm, Hymnic” — (OT) A psalm joyously glorifying God and emphasising his greatness, power, majesty, kindness, and mercy. [Douglas Mangum, The Lexham Glossary of Literary Types (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2014).]

Didactic — (OT) A psalm designed to give guidance or instruction to an individual or group.

Psalm, Didactic, Lament — (OT) A lament or complaint psalm that contains instructional content such as recounting God’s past actions on his people’s behalf.

Psalm, Lament — (OT) A psalm expressing the distress or sorrow of an individual or group and asking for divine help.

Psalm, Praise — (OT) A psalm praising God’s greatness and celebrating his love and compassion.

Psalm, Royal — (OT) A psalm related to the king and his rule such as celebrating his coronation or wedding or praising God for victory in battle.

Psalm, Wisdom — (OT) A psalm that emphasises wisdom themes like right living or the contrast between the righteous and the wicked.

Possible Themes:

1/ Depression/despair that God is no longer present or active

2/ Solution is to remember His acts in past.

3/HOLY: God is Uniquely Holy (Ex15:1)

Holiness (see Ps 51:1-17)

4/ Strength of God: in providing (Ps135:6)

brings comfort (Ps 27:1)

5/Shepherding fo God

KEY WORDS:

“elo-him”: God; god; deity. vv. 1(x2), 3, 13 (x2), 16 .

“el” : god; goddess. El; God. vv. 9,13,14.

“el-yon”: Something that is higher; upper; “Most High”. v. 10

“zkr”: name, mention, remember; take to court, make known, profess, praise. vv. 3, 6, 11 ( x 2). Psalm 77: 3; 6;11.