Psalms 77:5

Thou holdest mine eyes waking: I am so troubled that I cannot speak. -His sleepless nights, and his inability to speak, are attributed to the remembrance of the sad contrast which God's present desertion of His people forms to His former deliverances of them. Verse 4. THOU HOLDEST MINE EYES WAKING - literally, 'Thou holdest the watches [ shªmurowt (H8109), which differs from the form in Psalms 63:6, by only the Hebrew letter 'aleph (') prefixed in the latter] of mine eyes;' cf. Psalms 77:2, and the parallel Lamentations 2:19. I am so troubled that I cannot speak....

5._I have recounted the days of old. _There is no doubt that he endeavored to assuage his grief by the remembrance of his former joy; but he informs us that relief was not so easily nor so speedily obtained. By the _days of old, _and _the years of ancient times, _he seems not only to refer to the brief course of his own life, but to comprehend many ages. The people of God, in their afflictions, ought, undoubtedly, to set before their eyes, and to call to their remembrance, not only the Divine blessings which they have individually experienced, but also all the blessings which God in every age has bestowed upon his Church It may, however, be easily gathered from the text, that when the prophet reckoned up in his own mind the mercies which God had bestowed in time past, he began with his own experience....

1-10 Days of trouble must be days of prayer; when God seems to have withdrawn from us, we must seek him till we find him. In the day of his trouble the psalmist did not seek for the diversion of business or amusement, but he sought God, and his favor and grace. Those that are under trouble of mind, must pray it away. He pored upon the trouble; the methods that should have relieved him did but increase his grief. When he remembered God, it was only the Divine justice and wrath. His spirit was overwhelmed, and sank under the load. But let not the remembrance of the comforts we have lost, make us unthankful for those that are left. Particularly he called to remembrance the comforts with which he supported himself in former sorrows. Here is the language of a sorrowful, deserted soul, walking in darkness; a common case even among those that fear the Lord, Isaiah 50:10. Nothing wounds and pie...

Verse Psalms 77:5. _I HAVE CONSIDERED THE DAYS OF OLD_] חשבתי _chishshabti, I_ _have counted up_; I have reckoned up the various dispensations of thy mercy in behalf of the distressed, marked down in the history of our fathers....

I HAVE CONSIDERED THE DAYS OF OLD - Rather, “I do consider;” that is, “I think upon.” This refers to his resolution in his perplexity and trouble; the method to which he resorted in examining the subject, and in endeavoring to allay his troubles. He resolved to look at the past. He asked what was the evidence which was furnished on the subject by the former dealings of God with himself and with mankind; what could be learned from those dealings in regard to the great and difficult questions which now so perplexed his mind. THE YEARS OF ANCIENT TIMES - The records and remembrances of past ages. What is the testimony which the history of the world bears on this subject? Does it prove that God is worthy of confidence or not? Does it or does it not authorize and justify these painful thoughts which pass through the mind?...

EXPOSITION THIS psalm is the lament and expostulation with God of some afflicted person, perhaps Asaph, who speaks as the mouthpiece of his countrymen, complaining of Israel's apparent desertion by God (Psalms 77:1), but thence rising into a higher strain of hope and confidence, based on a recollection of Jehovah's past mercies (Psalms 77:10). The particular occasion which called forth the psalm cannot be determined. The psalm consists of six stanzas of three verses each, to which is appended one of two verses only. The pause mark, "selah," occurs at the end of the first, the third, and the fifth stanzas. PSALMS 77:1 I cried unto God with my voice, even

I HAVE CONSIDERED THE DAYS OF OLD,.... Either the former part of his life, the various occurrences of it, how it had been with him in time past, what experience he had had of the divine goodness; so the Syriac version renders it, "I have considered my days of old"; or the preceding age, and what has happened in that, which his ancestors had acquainted him with; or rather many ages past, from the days of Adam to the then present time; at least it may include the Israelites coming out of Egypt, their passage through the Red sea and wilderness, the times of the judges, and what befell them in their days, and how they were delivered out of their troubles; as appears from the latter part of the psalm, and with which agrees the following clause: THE YEARS OF ANCIENT TIMES; or, "of ages" n; of times long ago past; it is very useful to read the history of the Bible, with respect to ancient time...

This Psalm is headed «To the chief Musician, to Jeduthun,» He was one of the great singers; there is opportunity given in the Psalms for each of the sinners to take his turn.; it does not do for any of us to be idle in reference to the praise of God. It is called, «A Psalm of Asaph.» His Psalms have usually a dark tinge about them; he was a meditative man, «a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief»; but also a man of strong faith, and of an exulting spirit. You need to do business in great waters to understand Asaph; he is one who does not wade, but he gets into «waters to swim in.» Thus he begins: Psalms 77:1. _I cried unto God with my voice, even unto God with my voice; and he gave ear unto me._ The use of the voice in prayer is not essential; but usually, when men grow earnest, they use the voice as well as the mind. It was because of the intensity of h

Psalms 77 The Distressed Saint and His Comfort _ 1. The distress (Psalms 77:1)_ 2. The comfort (Psalms 77:11) This Psalm shows the distress of the saint in deepest exercise of soul. He earnestly seeks the Lord and never leaves off. “my hand was stretched out in the night, and failed not” (literal translation of Psalms 77:2). He moaned and complained and his spirit was overwhelmed. Then in still greater distress he asks, “Will the Lord cast off forever?--Is His mercy come to an end forever?”--”Hath God forgotten to be gracious?” The comfort comes to him as he thinks of God's past dealings, as he remembers His work of

LXXVII. ISRAEL'S PRESENT DISTRESS AND PAST GLORY. Psalms 77:1. The present distress. PSALMS 77:1. WITH MY VOICE: _i.e._ with a loud voice. PSALMS 77:4. Past glory. PSALMS 77:4. Perhaps we should translate, Mine eyelids are held fast, _i.e._ so that they cannot close in sleep. Psalms 77:6. The first words ought to stand at the end of Psalms 77:5, The years of ancient time I call to remembrance. MY SONG: in