Psalms 77:1-20: a reflection

1My cry goes to God! Indeed, I cry to God for help, and for him to listen to me. 2In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord. My hand was stretched out in the night, and didn’t get tired. My soul refused to be comforted. 3I remember God, and I groan. I complain, and my spirit is overwhelmed. Selah. 4You hold my eyelids open. I am so troubled that I can’t speak. 5I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient times. 6I remember my song in the night. I consider in my own heart; my spirit diligently inquires: 7“Will the Lord reject us forever? Will he be favorable no more? 8Has his loving kindness vanished forever? Does his promise fail for generations? 9Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he, in anger, withheld his compassion?” Selah. 10Then I thought, “I will appeal to this: the years of the right hand of the Most High.” 11I will remember the LORD’s deeds; for I will remember your wonders of old. 12I will also meditate on all your work, and consider your doings. 13Your way, God, is in the sanctuary. What god is great like God? 14You are the God who does wonders. You have made your strength known among the peoples. 15You have redeemed your people with your arm, the sons of Jacob and Joseph. Selah. 16The waters saw you, God. The waters saw you, and they writhed. The depths also convulsed. 17The clouds poured out water. The skies resounded with thunder. Your arrows also flashed around. 18The voice of your thunder was in the whirlwind. The lightnings lit up the world. The earth trembled and shook. 19Your way was through the sea, your paths through the great waters. Your footsteps were not known. 20You led your people like a flock, by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

In deep distress, the psalmist cries out to God and is nearly overwhelmed with doubt. Will the Lord reject us forever? he asks. Has his loving kindness vanished forever? Has God forgotten to be gracious? His soul refuses to be comforted, and questions crowd in. But then he makes a deliberate turn: I will remember the LORD's deeds; for I will remember your wonders of old. I will also meditate on all your work. Rather than staying in the anxious questioning, he deliberately turns to remember what God has done, meditating on God's past deeds, and this remembering becomes his way out of despair. He chose to remember God's works, and the remembering steadied him.

Notice the deliberate turn the psalmist makes: from anxious questioning to remembering God's deeds. He does not stay sunk in the doubting questions; he consciously chooses to remember, saying, I will remember the LORD's deeds. He turns his mind deliberately to what God has done, his wonders of old, his mighty works, and meditates on them. This deliberate remembering of God's past faithfulness is his way through the despair; recalling what God has done answers the fear that God has forgotten to be gracious. The remembering was a choice, a deliberate turning of the mind, and it steadied him where the questioning had overwhelmed him. He remembered God's deeds, and the remembering was his way out.

That is worth taking to heart, for we too can deliberately remember God's past deeds as a way through despair and doubt. When we are in distress, doubts crowd in, questioning whether God still cares, whether his mercy has failed; and we can stay sunk in the anxious questioning. But the psalmist deliberately turned to remember God's deeds, his past faithfulness, and the remembering steadied him. To deliberately recall what God has done is a way through the doubt. When doubts and despair overwhelm you, do not stay sunk in the anxious questioning; deliberately turn to remember what God has done, as the psalmist chose to remember the LORD's deeds. Deliberately turn to remember God's past deeds and faithfulness as a way through despair and doubt, rather than staying sunk in anxious questioning, as the psalmist chose to remember the LORD's wonders of old; for recalling what God has done answers the fear that he has forgotten to be gracious, and the deliberate remembering of his faithfulness can steady us where the questioning overwhelms.

Lord, in deep distress, the psalmist cries out to you and is nearly overwhelmed with doubt. Will the Lord reject us forever? he asks. Has his loving kindness vanished forever? Has God forgotten to be gracious? His soul refuses to be comforted, and questions crowd in. But then he makes a deliberate turn: I will remember the LORD's deeds; for I will remember your wonders of old; I will also meditate on all your work. Rather than staying in the anxious questioning, he deliberately turns to remember what you have done, and this remembering becomes his way out of despair. Show me the deliberate turn the psalmist makes: from anxious questioning to remembering your deeds. He does not stay sunk in the doubting questions; he consciously chooses to remember, saying, I will remember the LORD's deeds. He turns his mind deliberately to what you have done, your wonders of old, and meditates on them. This deliberate remembering of your past faithfulness is his way through the despair; recalling what you have done answers the fear that you have forgotten to be gracious. The remembering was a choice, and it steadied him. Take that to my heart, for I too can deliberately remember your past deeds as a way through despair and doubt. When I am in distress, doubts crowd in, questioning whether you still care, whether your mercy has failed; and I can stay sunk in the anxious questioning. But the psalmist deliberately turned to remember your deeds, and the remembering steadied him. When doubts and despair overwhelm me, keep me from staying sunk in the anxious questioning; help me deliberately turn to remember what you have done, Lord, as the psalmist chose to remember your wonders of old, for recalling your faithfulness answers the fear that you have forgotten to be gracious.