INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 77 TO THE CHIEF MUSICIAN, TO JEDUTHUN, A PSALM OF ASAPH. Jeduthun was the name of the chief musician, to whom this psalm was inscribed and sent; see 1 Chronicles 25:1, though Aben Ezra takes it to be the first word of some song, to the tune of which this was sung; and the Midr... [ Continue Reading ]
I CRIED UNTO GOD WITH MY VOICE,.... Which is to be understood of prayer, and that vocal, and which is importunate and fervent, being made in distress; see Psalms 3:4, or "my voice was unto God" h, "and I cried"; it was directed to him, and expressed in a very loud and clamorous way: EVEN UNTO GOD W... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE DAY OF MY TROUBLE I SOUGHT THE LORD,.... Not the creature, for help, and creature amusements to drive away trouble, but the Lord, in private, by prayer and supplication; a time of trouble is a time for prayer, James 5:13, all men have their trouble, but the people of God more especially; and... [ Continue Reading ]
I REMEMBERED GOD, AND WAS TROUBLED,.... Either the mercy, grace, and goodness of God, as Jarchi; how ungrateful he had been to him, how sadly he had requited him, how unthankful and unholy he was, notwithstanding so much kindness; and when he called this to mind it troubled him; or when he remembere... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU HOLDEST MINE EYES WAKING,.... Or, "the watches", or rather "keepers of the eyes" m; the eyebrows, which protect the eyes; these were held, so that he could not shut them, and get any sleep; so R. Moses Haccohen interprets the words, as Jarchi observes; and so the Targum, "thou holdest the brow... [ Continue Reading ]
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... [ Continue Reading ]
I CALL TO REMEMBRANCE MY SONG IN THE NIGHT,.... What had been an occasion of praising the Lord with a song, and which he had sung in the night seasons, when he was at leisure, his thoughts free, and he retired from company; or it now being night with him, he endeavoured to recollect what had been ma... [ Continue Reading ]
WILL THE LORD CAST OFF FOR EVER?.... The Syriac version of this, and the two following verses, is not by way of interrogation, but affirmation: "the Lord hath forgotten me for ever, nor will he", c. and so expresses the language of unbelief but the Arabic version, in connection with the last words,... [ Continue Reading ]
IS HIS MERCY CLEAN GONE FOR EVER?.... Or "his grace" q; and mercy is no other than grace to objects in misery; Unbelief says it is gone, that no more will be shown, and that the treasures of it are exhausted; but Faith says it is not gone, and observes that God is the God of all grace, is rich in me... [ Continue Reading ]
HATH GOD FORGOTTEN TO BE GRACIOUS,.... He has not, is it possible that he should? as the Targum; it is not; he cannot forget the purposes of his grace and mercy, nor the covenant and promises of it, nor people the objects of it; and much less can he for his grace and mercy itself, so agreeable to hi... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I SAID, THIS IS MY INFIRMITY,.... Referring either to what he had said in the preceding verses; and which is to be considered either as checking and correcting himself for what he had said, and acknowledging his evil in it; and it is as if he had said, this is a sin against God, that I am guilty... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL REMEMBER THE WORKS OF THE LORD,.... His works of creation and providence, his government of the world, and particularly his regard for his own people, and his preservation of them, especially the people of Israel, whom he had not cast off, nor would and so might serve to strengthen his faith,... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL MEDITATE ALSO OF ALL THY WORK,.... Or "works" t, which were many; he desired not to forget any of them, but remember the multitude of his tender mercies, and not only call them to mind, but dwell upon them in his meditations and contemplations, in order to gain some relief by them under his p... [ Continue Reading ]
THY WAY, O GOD, IS IN THE SANCTUARY,.... Or "in holiness" y; that is, is holy, so the Syriac version, and to which the Targum agrees. "O God, how holy are thy ways,'' see Psalms 145:17, or "in the sanctuary", the temple, the church of God, where he takes his walks, and manifests himself, and where... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU ART THE GOD THAT DOEST WONDERS,.... In nature, providence, and grace; it seems chiefly to regard what was done for the Israelites in Egypt, and in the wilderness, see Psalms 78:12, THOU HAST DECLARED THY STRENGTH AMONG THE PEOPLE; the nations of the world, who heard what the Lord did for Israe... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU HAST WITH THINE ARM REDEEMED THY PEOPLE,.... The people of Israel out of Egypt, which was typical of the redemption of the Lord's people by Christ, the arm and power of God: THE SONS OF JACOB AND JOSEPH. Joseph is particularly mentioned for honour's sake, and because he was the means of suppor... [ Continue Reading ]
THE WATERS SAW THEE, O GOD,.... The waters not of Jordan, but of the Red sea; these felt and perceived the power of God, in causing a strong east wind, which dried it up, and made way for the children of Israel to pass through it as on dry land: compare with this Psalms 114:3, THE WATERS SAW THEE;... [ Continue Reading ]
THE CLOUDS POURED OUT WATER,.... This, with some other circumstances which follow, are not related by Moses in the history of this affair; but as they are here recorded by an inspired penman, there is no doubt to be made of the truth of them; besides Josephus a relates the same things; he says, that... [ Continue Reading ]
THE VOICE OF THY THUNDER WAS IN THE HEAVEN,.... Thunder is the voice of God, Job 37:5 this is heard in "the orb" b, or the air, so called, because spherical; the Targum is "the voice of thy thunder was heard in the wheel;'' so the word here used sometimes signifies; so Ezekiel 10:13, and is so ren... [ Continue Reading ]
THY WAY IS IN THE SEA,.... In the sea of Suph, as the Targum, the Red sea; it was the Lord that made the way in the sea for the Israelites, and went before them, and led them through it: AND THY PATH IN THE GREAT WATERS; because the word rendered path is written with י yod, and is in the plural num... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU LEDDEST THY PEOPLE LIKE A FLOCK,.... Either through the Red sea, according to R. Moses Hacohen, as Aben Ezra observes; see Isaiah 63:11, or rather, as he and Kimchi, through the wilderness, after they were led through the sea; the people of Israel are compared to a flock of sheep; the Lord is... [ Continue Reading ]