Psalms Reading – 3.13.2022
Psalm 77
For the director of music. For Jeduthun. Of Asaph. A psalm.
1 I cried out to God for help; I cried out to God to hear me.
2 When I was in distress, I sought the Lord; at night I stretched out untiring hands,
2 When I was in distress, I sought the Lord; at night I stretched out untiring hands,
and I would not be comforted. 3 I remembered you, God, and I groaned; I meditated, and my spirit grew faint. 4 You kept my eyes from closing; I was too troubled to speak.
5 I thought about the former days, the years of long ago;
6 I remembered my songs in the night. My heart meditated and my spirit asked:
5 I thought about the former days, the years of long ago;
6 I remembered my songs in the night. My heart meditated and my spirit asked:
7 “Will the Lord reject forever? Will he never show his favor again?
8 Has his unfailing love vanished forever? Has his promise failed for all time?
9 Has God forgotten to be merciful? Has he in anger withheld his compassion?”
8 Has his unfailing love vanished forever? Has his promise failed for all time?
9 Has God forgotten to be merciful? Has he in anger withheld his compassion?”
10 Then I thought, “To this I will appeal: the years when the Most High stretched out his right hand.
11 I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.
12 I will consider all your works and meditate on all your mighty deeds.”
11 I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.
12 I will consider all your works and meditate on all your mighty deeds.”
13 Your ways, God, are holy. What god is as great as our God?
14 You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples.
15 With your mighty arm you redeemed your people, the descendants of Jacob and Joseph.
16 The waters saw you, God, the waters saw you and writhed; the very depths were convulsed.
17 The clouds poured down water, the heavens resounded with thunder; your arrows flashed back and forth.
18 Your thunder was heard in the whirlwind, your lightning lit up the world; the earth trembled and quaked.
19 Your path led through the sea, your way through the mighty waters, though your footprints were not seen.
20 You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
14 You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples.
15 With your mighty arm you redeemed your people, the descendants of Jacob and Joseph.
16 The waters saw you, God, the waters saw you and writhed; the very depths were convulsed.
17 The clouds poured down water, the heavens resounded with thunder; your arrows flashed back and forth.
18 Your thunder was heard in the whirlwind, your lightning lit up the world; the earth trembled and quaked.
19 Your path led through the sea, your way through the mighty waters, though your footprints were not seen.
20 You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
The song begins in a familiar way with a lament wondering when God was going to show up and answer his distressed prayer. Asaph could not sleep so he meditated through the night about the things of God and even his own songs that he had previously written. However, he only came up with the haunting thought of wondering if God was still there and loved him. If you have ever asked those questions, you are not alone!
In this meditation time, he chose to change his mental channel and remember the miracles of God from the distant past. He considered how God displayed his power in full view as He rescued His people out of Egypt. The waters retreated when they saw God coming. In fact, in view of God’s power, all of creation danced with thunder, lightning, wind, and earthquakes.
God’s path led them through the sea. God did not take them around it, but they had to go through it in order to see God’s power on display. Oh, how we wish we could bypass the troubling waters of life, but then we would never see God at work. Even though they did not see His footsteps, they knew He was with them leading the way.
Asaph, then, tells us how God did it. God shepherded them with the leadership of Moses and Aaron. God used two leaders to accomplish his miraculous redemption of the people. Moses was a lay leader, and Aaron was clergy. Moses played the more prominent role. Laity, do not give up your most important responsibility to be used by God for His eternal and glorious purposes!
Memory Verse: Psalm 73:25, Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
Question(s) to Consider: Is God taking you through the “sea?” If so, what does He want you to see? (No pun intended!) Do you accept the reality that God wants to use laity and clergy alike to accomplish his mission to redeem the world?