Psalm 77:1–20 (ESV):
1 I cry aloud to God,
aloud to God, and he will hear me.
2 In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord;
in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying;
my soul refuses to be comforted.
3 When I remember God, I moan;
when I meditate, my spirit faints. Selah
4 You hold my eyelids open;
I am so troubled that I cannot speak.
5 I consider the days of old,
the years long ago.
6 I said, “Let me remember my song in the night;
let me meditate in my heart.”
Then my spirit made a diligent search:
7 “Will the Lord spurn forever,
and never again be favourable?
8 Has his steadfast love forever ceased?
Are his promises at an end for all time?
9 Has God forgotten to be gracious?
Has he in anger shut up his compassion?” Selah
10 Then I said, “I will appeal to this,
to the years of the right hand of the Most High.”
11 I will remember the deeds of the Lord;
yes, I will remember your wonders of old.
12 I will ponder all your work,
and meditate on your mighty deeds.
13 Your way, O God, is holy.
What god is great like our God?
14 You are the God who works wonders;
you have made known your might among the peoples.
15 You with your arm redeemed your people,
the children of Jacob and Joseph. Selah
16 When the waters saw you, O God,
when the waters saw you, they were afraid;
indeed, the deep trembled.
17 The clouds poured out water;
the skies gave forth thunder;
your arrows flashed on every side.
18 The crash of your thunder was in the whirlwind;
your lightnings lighted up the world;
the earth trembled and shook.
19 Your way was through the sea,
your path through the great waters;
yet your footprints were unseen.
20 You led your people like a flock
by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
Ever felt so distressed that you have lost sleep (v4)? Or had questions like Asaph does in V7–9?:
7 “Will the Lord spurn forever, and never again be favourable?
8 Has his steadfast love forever ceased?
Are his promises at an end for all time?
9 Has God forgotten to be gracious?
Has he in anger shut up his compassion?”’
It is ok to ask such things, to seek understanding and to even question God. Asaph was clearly in a troubled state and so he asked himself what did he really know about the character of God. He made an effort to search his own understanding, he looked at the past and considered what he knew. When you are in distress, you can do the same. Plus you also have the privilege of being able to access the Bible in your search, you do not need to rely purely on recent testimonies, but can also depend upon historical accounts of God and His people. What a comfort and strength that is for when you have such questions!
When you do wonder about what God is up to, don’t allow; culture, current news stories, other people or your own ideas frame the responses. Go to where you will get solid, unchanging answers and diligently search as Asaph did. He searched his memory for the stories of God’s people, he tried to discover the nature of God through accounts and he remembered how God has allowed suffering but always come through for those faithful to His name. Asaph, although in despair, chose not to just sit and mope but became active in seeking answers. He was curious and intent on finding a solution in the weary distress he was experiencing (v1-4). He was determined to figure out where God was, and so he set his mind saying, 'I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your wonders of old. 12 I will ponder'. Asaph was determined to not allow this present trouble shake his faith, instead he ensured that he looked for God in it and made a thorough search of his memory and history to see God's overarching powerful presence.
Asaph had questions, which can be unsettling, but quite natural, when you go through unforeseen and undesired events. Questions can also be a helpful way to process if you are asking the right ones. Asking why is rarely ever helpful or easy to find an answer to, but questions like the ones Asaph asked can be answered; will God leave forever? Has He forgotten His promises? Is He going to be angry all the time and not be gracious or compassionate? In order to resolve these fears and answer such queries Asaph set his mind to, ‘remember the deeds of the Lord’. He did some research, setting his mind to recall previous events in order to determine whether God’s love and anger are steadfast, and is He really going to fulfil His promises. Asaph needed to know these answers so he put in the time, effort and energy to diligently search out the solutions. He did not sit back and wait for God to prove himself, Asaph knew God has already done that, so Asaph went in search for what he needed to know, and he was satisfied.
When you also take time to read the Bible, look at previous experiences and ponder on God’s work you too will discover the answers to the questions you need. You will find out if God is favourable, steadfast, loving, keeps His word and is compassionate. Life and His word will teach you these things. Even if you feel ‘so troubled I cannot speak’, you can still ‘consider the days of old’ and recall the times of God’s favour and bounty, then through these things learn about the nature of God. In order to endure difficult times well allow your spirit to make ‘a diligent search’. Put in the effort to discover and remember the great character of the Lord God, His mighty deeds and working of wonders. Then consider; is He loving, steadfast, compassionate, favourable and reliable?
Asaph recounts what He knows of God and some of the Israelite experiences and he sees God’s faithful love, miraculous power, compassion, kindness, fearsome might, and ability to do the impossible. Therefore, no matter what trouble occurs, cannot God display the same characteristics again?! God has rescued His people before and He will do so again (v19). You can be assured that God takes care of the righteous ones; the ones who love, follow and rely on Him. They will be rescued, redeemed and rewarded. Yet it is not always easy to see what He is doing. You have to to look deeply and diligently. Asaph notes that even though God led the Israelites through the Red Sea, His ‘footprints were unseen’. Unless you ensure that you are searching thoroughly for God in life, you may well miss what He is doing, you could miss seeing His footprints. It is easy to miss or overlook God’s influence, power and leading for His work can be ‘unseen’.
Do you look for God’s unseen works in your life? You might miss them if you don’t, so why not ask Him to reveal His presence in the times of old and see what you discover about His character.
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