Psalms 77

1 For the Chief Musician. To Jeduthun. A Psalm by Asaph. My cry goes to God! Indeed, I cry to God for help, and for him to listen to me.

I cry out to God; I cry aloud to him, and he hears me.

2 In 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.

Whenever have trouble, I pray to the Lord; all during the night I lift up my hands while I pray, [but] nothing causes me to be comforted.

3 I remember God, and I groan. I complain, and my spirit is overwhelmed. (Selah)

When I think about God, I (despair/think that he will never help me); when I meditate about him, I am discouraged.

4 You hold my eyelids open. I am so troubled that I can’t speak.

[All during the night] he prevents me from sleeping; I am very worried, with the result that I do not know what to say.

5 I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient times.

I think about days that have passed; I remember [what happened in] previous years.

6 I remember my song in the night. I consider in my own heart; my spirit diligently enquires:

I spend the whole night thinking [about things]; I meditate, and this is what I ask myself:

7 “Will the Lord reject us forever? Will he be favourable no more?

“Will the Lord always reject us? Will he never again be pleased with us?

8 Has his loving kindness vanished forever? Does his promise fail for generations?

Has he stopped faithfully loving us? Will he not do for us what he promised to do?

9 Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he, in anger, withheld his compassion?” (Selah)

God promised to be merciful to us; has he forgotten that? Because he is angry [with us], has he decided to not be kind to us?”

10 Then I thought, “I will appeal to this: the years of the right hand of the Most High.”

Then I said, “What causes me to be [very] sad is that [it seems that] God, who is greater than any other god, is no longer powerful.”

11 I will remember the LORD’s deeds; for I will remember your wonders of old.

[But then], Yahweh, I recall/remember your great deeds; I remember the wonderful things that you did in the past.

12 I will also meditate on all your work, and consider your doings.

I meditate on all that you have done, and I think about your mighty acts.

13 Your way, God, is in the sanctuary. What god is great like God?

God, everything that you do is holy; there is certainly no god [RHQ] who is great like you are!

14 You are the God who does wonders. You have made your strength known amongst the peoples.

You are God, the one who performs miracles; you showed to people of many people-groups that you are powerful.

15 You have redeemed your people with your arm, the sons of Jacob and Joseph. (Selah)

By your power [MTY] you rescued your people [from Egypt]; you saved those who were descendants of Jacob and [his son] Joseph.

16 The waters saw you, God. The waters saw you, and they writhed. The depths also convulsed.

[It was as though] the waters [of the Red Sea] saw you and became very afraid, and even the deepest part of the water shook.

17 The clouds poured out water. The skies resounded with thunder. Your arrows also flashed around.

Rain poured down from the clouds [PRS]; it thundered [very loudly] [PRS], and lightning flashed in all directions.

18 The voice of your thunder was in the whirlwind. The lightnings lit up the world. The earth trembled and shook.

Thunder crashed in the whirlwind, and lightning (lit up/flashed across) the entire sky [HYP]; the earth shook violently [DOU].

19 Your way was through the sea, your paths through the great waters. Your footsteps were not known.

[Then] you walked through the sea on a path that you made through the deep water, but your footprints could not be seen.

20 You led your people like a flock, by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

You led your people like [a shepherd leads his] flock [of sheep], while Moses and Aaron were the leaders [of your people].