Psalm Chapter 77

Psalm-77

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Tanakh versions:

Throughout this site I may use any of the following three versions of the TaNaKh: 1. “Jewish Publication Society” (JPS-1917), 2. Mechon-Mamre.org” (MEC), and 3. “Sefaria.org” (SEF).

Colour coded details of the - TaNaKh:

1. Torah = History & Law, 2. Nevi’im = The Prophets. 3. *Ketuvim = all other Writings.

*The Ketuvim - Includes, Poetical books - Psalms, Proverbs, Job, the Megillot, or Scrolls - Song of Solomon, Ruth, Lamentations of Jeremiah, Ecclesiastes, and Esther, prophecy of Daniel, and history of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Chronicles I & II.

Open Thou mine eyes, that I may behold

wondrous things out of Thy Law!

Tehillim - Psalm 119:18..

(JPS-1917 version of the Tanakh).

Please Note: Some alterations or (additions) have been made relating to ‘Names’ and ‘Attributes’ of אֱלֹהִים - Elohim, having been corrected like it once was pre the “Masoretic Text”.

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Remember the following truth from our beloved Torah!

“Ye shall NOT ADD TO THE WORD which I command you, NEITHER SHALL YE DIMINISH FROM IT, that ye may keep the commandments of יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם - the LORD your Eloleichem, which I command you”. Davarim - Deuteronomy 4:2. (JPS-1917).

However, sadly both the later priests as well as our rabbis of long ago have shamefully disobeyed this command of אֱלֹהִים יְהוָה - the LORD Elohim, בָּרוּךְ שֵׁם קָדוֹשׁוֹ - ‘Baruch Shem Kadosho’ – ‘Blessed be His Holy Name!’

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“Tehillim - Psalm 77”

With Rabbi, Dr. Reuven Ben Avraham-Goossens, PhD.

Foreword:

Psalm 77 is one of the most honest and relatable chapters in the entire Psalter. It captures the psychological shift from deep, personal despair to a renewed sense of hope. Using the JPS-1917 text, we see Asaph moving from “I” (his own pain) to “Thou” (אֱלֹהִים - Elohim’s (God) historical wonders).

Introduction: From Midnight to Memory:

Psalm 77 is a “Psalm of Lament” that serves as a bridge between a crisis of the soul and the comfort of history. The psalmist is in a state of “midnight”, a time of spiritual darkness where אֱלֹהִים - Elohim feels silent and distant. The structure of the Psalm is a masterclass in spiritual resilience: Asaph realizes that when he cannot see what אֱלֹהִים - Elohim is doing now, he must remember what אֱלֹהִים - Elohim has done before. It is the ultimate antidote to the feeling of being forgotten by the Divine.

Tehillim-Psalm chapter 77: (JPS-1917 version of the Tanakh).

1. For the Leader; for Jeduthun. A Psalm of Asaph.
2. I will lift up my voice unto אֱלֹהִים - Elohim, and cry; I will lift up my voice unto אֱלֹהִים - Elohim, that He may give ear unto me.
3. In the day of my trouble I seek יְהוָה - the LORD; with my hand uplifted, [mine eye] streameth in the night without ceasing; my soul refuseth to be comforted.
4. When I think thereon, O אֱלֹהִים, I must moan; when I muse thereon, my spirit fainteth. Selah
5. Thou holdest fast the lids of mine eyes; I am troubled, and cannot speak.
6. I have pondered the days of old, the years of ancient times.
7. In the night I will call to remembrance my song; I will commune with mine own heart; and my spirit maketh diligent search:
8. 'Will יְהוָה - the LORD cast off for ever? And will He be favorable no more?
9. Is His mercy clean gone for ever? Is His promise come to an end for evermore?
10. Hath אֱלֹהִים forgotten to be gracious? Hath He in anger shut up his compassions?' Selah
11. And I say: 'This is my weakness that the right hand of the Most High could change.
12. I will make mention of the deeds of יְהוָה - the LORD; yea, I will remember Thy wonders of old.
13. I will meditate also upon all Thy work, and muse on Thy doings.'
14. O אֱלֹהִים, Thy way is in holiness; who is a great deity like unto אֱלֹהִים?
15. Thou art the אֱלֹהִים that doest wonders; Thou hast made known Thy strength among the peoples.
16. Thou hast with Thine arm redeemed Thy people, the sons of Jacob and Joseph. Selah
17. The waters saw Thee, O אֱלֹהִים - Elohim; the waters saw Thee, they were in pain; the depths also trembled.
18. The clouds flooded forth waters; the skies sent out a sound; Thine arrows also went abroad.
19. The voice of Thy thunder was in the whirlwind; the lightning’s lighted up the world; the earth trembled and shook.
20. Thy way was in the sea, and Thy path in the great waters, and Thy footsteps were not known.
21. Thou didst lead Thy people like a flock, by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

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Let us now look at the ‘verse-by verse’, with commentary.

The Voice of Distress (Verses 1-4).

v. 1: “I will lift up my voice unto אֱלֹהִים - Elohim, and cry; I will lift up my voice unto אֱלֹהִים, that He may give ear unto me”.

Commentary: The repetition of “voice” emphasizes the urgency of his prayer.

v. 2: “In the day of my trouble I sought יְהוָה - the LORD; with my hand uplifted, mine eye streamed in the night without ceasing; my soul refused to be comforted”.

Commentary: His grief is physical; his “eye streamed” (or hand was stretched out) without rest.

v. 3: “When I think of , I must moan; when I muse, my spirit is overwhelmed. Selah”

Commentary: Paradoxically, the thought of אֱלֹהִים - Elohim,usually a comfort, now causes him pain because he feels disconnected.

v. 4: “Thou holdest mine eyes waking; I am so troubled that I cannot speak”.

Commentary: אֱלֹהִים is seen as the cause of his insomnia; his trouble has robbed him of language.

The Agonizing Questions (Verses 5-10).

v. 5: “I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient times”.

Commentary: He begins to look backward, searching for a pattern.

v. 6: “I call to remembrance my song in the night; I commune with mine own heart; and my spirit maketh diligent search:”

Commentary: He looks for the joy he once had.

v. 7: “Will the Lord cast off for ever? And will He be favourable no more?”

Commentary: The first of six haunting questions.

v. 8: “Is His mercy clean gone for ever? Is His promise come to an end for evermore?”

Commentary: He fears the “Chesed” (unfailing love) has dried up.

v. 9: “Hath אֱלֹהִים forgotten to be gracious? Hath He in anger shut up His compassions? Selah”

Commentary: The ultimate fear: that אֱלֹהִים - Elohim’s nature has changed.

v. 10: “And I say: ‘This is my weakness, that the right hand of the Most High hath changed’”.

Commentary: He realizes the problem isn't אֱלֹהִים; it is his own “weakness” (or infirmity) in perception.

The Shift to "The Wonders" (Verses 11-16).

v. 11: “I will make mention of the deeds of יְהוָה - the LORD; yea, I will remember Thy wonders of old”.

Commentary: The Pivot. He stops asking questions and starts making declarations.

v. 12: “I will meditate also upon all Thy work, and muse on Thy doings”.

Commentary: He replaces his “moaning” (v. 3) with “musing”.

v. 13: “Thy way, O אֱלֹהִים, is in holiness; who is a great god like unto אֱלֹהִים?”

Commentary: He acknowledges אֱלֹהִים - Elohim’s unique, set-apart nature.

v. 14: “Thou art the אֱלֹהִים that doest wonders; Thou hast made known Thy strength among the peoples”.

Commentary: אֱלֹהִים - Elohim’s’s power is public and historical.

v. 15: “Thou hast with Thine arm redeemed Thy people, the sons of Jacob and Joseph. Selah”

Commentary: A specific reference to the Exodus.

v. 16: “The waters saw Thee, O אֱלֹהִים - Elohim; the waters saw Thee, they were in pangs; the depths also trembled.”

Commentary: Personification of the Red Sea reacting to its Maker.

The Power of the Storm (Verses 17-21).

v. 17: “The clouds poured out water; the skies sent out a sound; Thine arrows also went abroad”.

Commentary: A description of a cosmic storm during the crossing.

v. 18: “The voice of Thy thunder was in the whirlwind; the lightnings lightened the world; the earth trembled and shook”.

Commentary: Even the foundations of the world respond to the Judge.

v. 19: “Thy way was in the sea, and Thy path in the great waters, and Thy footsteps were not known”.

Commentary: Key Insight: אֱלֹהִים - Elohim was moving in the water, but His footprints couldn't be seen. He is present even when invisible.

Commentary: The Power of the Storm (Completed).

v. 20: “Thou didst lead Thy people like a flock”,

Commentary: אֱלֹהִים - Elohim is portrayed here as the Great Shepherd. Even in the midst of the terrifying cosmic storm described in the previous verses, His intent was gentle: guidance and protection for His people.

v. 21: “By the hand of Moses and Aaron”.

Commentary: This final verse grounds the miraculous and the "invisible footprints" in human history. אֱלֹהִים exercises His sovereignty through human agency. By naming Moses and Aaron, the psalmist reminds us that even when אֱלֹהִים feels distant, He provides us with leaders, teachers, and a community to walk us through the "great waters."

The Structure of Asaph’s Recovery:

Phase	The Internal Experience	The Spiritual Solution
The Crisis	“My soul refused to be comforted” (v. 2).	Crying out with the voice (v. 1).
The Doubt	“Is His mercy clean gone for ever?” (v. 8).	Recognizing this as a personal “weakness” (v. 10).
The Cure	“I will meditate also upon all Thy work” (v. 12).	Shifting focus from “My Pain” to “Thy Wonders”
The Result	“Thy footsteps were not known” (v. 19).	Trusting the invisible Shepherd.

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My Closing Message: “Footprints in the Sea”:

The beauty of Psalm 77 lies in its final image. In Verse 19, Asaph says, !Thy footsteps were not known”. When the Israelites crossed the Red Sea, the water surged back and covered their tracks. To an observer standing on the shore the next day, it might have looked as if nothing had happened and no one had passed through.

This is the central lesson for your study: אֱלֹהִים - Elohim’s presence does not always leave a visible footprint. When you are in your “midnight” (v. 2) and you feel as though אֱלֹהִים has “forgotten to be gracious”, remember that His path often goes through the “great waters”, places where we cannot see Him, but where He is nonetheless leading us “like a flock” by the hands of those He has appointed. We do not live solely by what we see in the present, but by the “musing” and “meditating” on His eternal faithfulness.

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This site was originally created, for those who desired to return to our blessed and wonderful faith. Thus be wise and work on your faith and pray at least two or three times a day (if possible) and always seek our beloved אֱלֹהִים - Elohim’s guidance, for His love is always with us, especially when we seek Him, blessed be He! However this site has become very much a teaching site with hundreds of studies!

Remember what אֱלֹהִים - Elohim, blessed be He, said the following via several of our prophets...

“Return unto Me, and I will return unto you, saith צְבָאוֹת- יְהוָה- the LORD of hosts”. Mal’a’chi - Malachi 3:7. (JPS).

And Remember ...

Enjoy your Sabbath Rest, Shabbat Shalom!

אֲנִי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם, בְּחֻקּוֹתַי לֵכוּ; וְאֶת-מִשְׁפָּטַי שִׁמְרוּ, וַעֲשׂוּ אוֹתָם

וְאֶת-שַׁבְּתוֹתַי, קַדֵּשׁוּ; וְהָיוּ לְאוֹת, בֵּינִי וּבֵינֵיכֶם-לָדַעַת, כִּי אֲנִי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם

“I am אֱלֹהֵיכֶם יְהוָה - the LORD your Eloheichem; walk in My statutes, and keep Mine ordinances, and do them; and hallow My Sabbaths, and they shall be a sign between Me and you, that ye may know that I am אֱלֹהֵיכֶם יְהוָה - the LORD your Eloheichem”. Yechezkel - Ezekiel 20:19-20. (JPS).

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“Hebraic Studies” motto is as follows;

“The More Torah, the More Life”

For אֱלֹהִים יְהוָה - the LORD Elohim, Blessed be His Sanctified Name,

He is the one who gave us our Life!”

May the שָׁלוֹם - Shalom = Peace of צְבָאוֹת- יְהוָה= the LORD of hosts. be with you, and please always uphold our blessed שַׁבָּת - Shabbat, as well as the מוֹעֲדִים - Mo’a’dim - Feasts, and continue saying your daily תְּפִלָּה - Tefeelah’s (Prayers) and regular בְּרָכָה - Be’ra’chah’s (blessings) before food and drinks, etc!

שָׁלוֹם עֲלֵיכֶם - Shalom Aleichem - Peace be with you!

Rabbi, Dr. Reuven Ben Avraham-Goossens, PhD.

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