Psalms for Turbulent Times - Part 6
Psalm 77
by Jim Jester
Synopsis:
Scripture Reading: Psalm 142:1-7
1 Maschil [contemplation] of David; A Prayer when he was in the cave. [I Sam. 22:1, the cave of Adullam.]
“I cried unto the LORD with my voice; with my voice unto the LORD did I make my supplication. 2 I poured out my complaint before him; I shewed before him my trouble.
3 When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then thou knewest my path. In the way wherein I walked have they privily laid a snare for me. 4 I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul.
5 I cried unto thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living. 6 Attend unto my cry; for I am brought very low: deliver me from my persecutors; for they are stronger than I. 7 Bring my soul out of prison that I may praise thy name: the righteous shall compass me about; for thou shalt deal bountifully with me.” – Ps. 142
Introduction
Former president Trump could identify with this psalm. So many of those he depended upon have betrayed him to the communists that have fraudulently taken our country in a rigged election. The same thing happened in Mayanmar recently.
Military Coup Underway In Myanmar As Civilian Leaders Arrested – State TV Off Air, Internet Cut | Zero Hedge | February 1st 2021
It appears a military coup is underway in the Southeast Asian country of Myanmar (formerly Burma), where a state of confusion has descended on the population with soldiers now patrolling major city streets, and given state TV has also been taken off the air, according to Reuters.
The national army says a recent major vote won by the National League for Democracy (NLD) party was “fraudulent,” as a breaking BBC report details [www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-55882489]:
Aung San Suu Kyi, leader of Myanmar’s governing NLD party, has been arrested, the spokesman for the party said. …
In what looks to be the first foreign policy and international crisis of the Biden administration, recently confirmed US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has urged Myanmar’s military leaders to “reverse these actions immediately” after arresting the country’s civilian leadership in a coup on Monday.
“We call on Burmese [the US still officially calls it Burma] military leaders to release all government officials and civil society leaders and respect the will of the people of Burma as expressed in democratic elections on November 8,” Blinken said according to Reuters.
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So, the country of Myanmar has also experienced vote manipulation just as we have here in America. This has taken place in other countries as well. Furthermore, it appears Biden will be engaging our military for globalist purposes once again. Biden’s favorite slogan, “America is back,” simply means that America is back on the side of global governance. He has also donated 4 billion dollars to the global vaccine effort.
In our scripture reading, David was praying while in the cave of Adullam. First Samuel chapter 22:
1 “David therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave Adullam: and when his brethren and all his father’s house heard it, they went down thither to him. 2 And every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him; and he became a captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men.” – I Sam. 22:1-2
God answered David’s prayer by sending him 400 (later 600, 1 Sam. 23:13) men to surround him. Notice how the common folk gathered around him, and the “discontented;” not a particularly savory group, but “deplorables.” It is the same today – most of the common working class of America have gathered around Trump who is now in exile in Florida (his “cave” in Mar-a-Lago). However, there must be times when Trump feels that “no man cared for my soul” (v. 4), when one by one those with political aims switched sides in betrayal and persecution. White America now faces discrimination and oppression from the Left.
“I cried unto the LORD with my voice…” (v. 1). Have you ever literally cried before the Lord Jesus Christ? Certainly, there are times when all of us have come before the throne of God in such a manner, for one reason or another. This is good, and this is normal, for God has made us emotional people.
Impeach Pelosi for the Capitol Attack
Recently, we saw that Trump faced another sham “impeachment.” But who should really be impeached?
Nancy Pelosi had both the motive and the means to carry out the Capitol attack of Jan. 6; and the whole Democrat party benefitted from it:
Her motive: she did not want the public to hear (especially at prime time) the Objections that were to come up at the Vote Confirmation that day. The disruption of the break in accomplished that purpose.
Her means: The Democrats’ private army, Antifa, was used to infiltrate and commandeer what remained of the Trump Rally that day, which was overall, peaceful, like all Trump rallies.
Pelosi and McConnell were both responsible for the security of the Capitol on that day (also the mayor of DC). The letter from the Capitol Police Chief, Steven A. Sund, shows a very different series of events and different reason for the entire fiasco where he could not get any back-up from the National Guard, in spite of his attempts via chain of command runaround, and in spite of asking McConnell to help get assistance. The investigation of the event is still allegedly on-going; and, we still do not know what really happened on that day. Further, the Democrat media were willing accomplices for the Democrat official narrative of that day. A Commission to investigate will not reveal the full truth of the event.
Is there a “Columbo” or a “Monk” out there who can prove my case? Where and who are those people that were arrested for breaking in? Who in the FBI is in charge of the investigation, if there is any investigation at all under the present administration? They are already convinced it was Trump’s fault. We have already seen from the violence last summer how Antifa and BLM members were not prosecuted and simply set free. Is this what’s happening in this case?
In my opinion, this attack was a “false-flag” event (just as 9/11). The recent “Impeachment” hoax was more of an indictment of Democrats than it was for one man. Lay aside their, self-aggrandizing, sanctimonious, supposedly high moral ground attitude; they are hate-filled hypocrites of the highest order. The question now should not be, “What did Trump know and when?” but, “What did Pelosi know and when?” The Democrat position, “Trump is guilty, now prove me wrong.” That is not how American juris-prudence works. One is innocent until proven guilty, not guilty until proven innocent.
Psalm 77
“1 To the chief Musician, to Jeduthun, A Psalm of Asaph.”
“I cried unto God with my voice, even unto God with my voice; and he gave ear unto me. 2 In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord: my sore ran in the night, and ceased not: my soul refused to be comforted. 3 I remembered God, and was troubled: I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. [Selah.]
4 Thou holdest mine eyes waking: I am so troubled that I cannot speak. 5 I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient times. 6 I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with mine own heart: and my spirit made diligent search.
7 Will the Lord cast off for ever? and will he be favourable no more? 8 Is his mercy clean gone for ever? doth his promise fail for evermore? 9 Hath God forgotten to be gracious? hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? [Selah.]
10 And I said, This is my infirmity: but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High. 11 I will remember the works of the LORD: surely I will remember thy wonders of old. 12 I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings.
13 Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary: who is so great a God as our God? 14 Thou art the God that doest wonders: thou hast declared thy strength among the people. 15 Thou hast with thine arm redeemed thy people, the sons of Jacob and Joseph. [Selah.]
16 The waters saw thee, O God, the waters saw thee; they were afraid: the depths also were troubled. 17 The clouds poured out water: the skies sent out a sound: thine arrows also went abroad. 18 The voice of thy thunder was in the heaven: the lightnings lightened the world: the earth trembled and shook. 19 Thy way is in the sea, and thy path in the great waters, and thy footsteps are not known. 20 Thou leddest thy people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.” – Ps. 77
The occasion of this psalm is uncertain. But, Asaph remembers God in anguish, “I cried out to God with my voice.” And God listened to him. One translation says “my hand was stretched out in the night without resting” (v. 2, BBE). Verse 4 says, “You keep my eyes from sleep; I am so troubled that no words come” (BBE). This is very similar to Psalm 63:6, “When I remember Thee upon my bed, and meditate on Thee in the night watches.” Asaph remembers the days of the past, and the years already gone (v. 5).
Then in the next three verses, Asaph asks the same question in six different ways:
“Will the Lord cast off forever? And will He be favorable no more? Is His mercy gone forever? Has His Word failed for all generations? Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has He in anger shut up His tender mercies?” (Ps. 77:7-9, MKJV)
Although these questions are real, nonetheless, they all expect the same answer: No! The reference to God’s anger suggests sin and places the responsibility on the impenitent.
“But I will remember” (v. 10). In verses 10-20, Asaph ponders upon the great Exodus from Egypt and asks, “Who is so great a God as our God?” (v. 13); Compare this with the account in Exodus:
“Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders? Thou stretchedst out thy right hand, the earth swallowed them. Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people which thou hast redeemed: thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation.” – Ex. 15:11-13
Asaph sees the sovereignty of God in the reaction of Nature (v. 16-19), and declares, “You led Your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron” (Ps. 77:20). God uses the leadership of great men to do His will.
When verses 11-20 are understood in relation to verses 1-10, it is evident that the psalmist and his people are strengthened as they set their grief in the context of God’s mighty acts. This perspective assures them that He will save His people again.
Conclusion
We take refuge in God’s unchangeableness and covenant. One commentator makes this statement:
“The poet flees from the sorrowful present away into the memory of the years of olden times, and consoles himself especially with the deliverance out of Egypt. But it remains obscure what kind of affliction it is which drives him to find refuge from the God now hidden in the God who was formerly manifest.” – C. Short
Sounds a bit confusing; but he is saying (I changed some words), “…whatever kind of affliction the poet is experiencing, he is driven to find refuge from the God now hidden in the same God that was formerly revealed.” What a thought! This is where faith comes in.
The commentator then breaks up Psalm 77 accordingly:
1. He perseveres in prayer, though he has no sense of the presence or mercy of God (Ps. 77:1-3).
2. When he can no longer pray, he falls back upon the memories of the past (Ps. 77:4-6).
3. If God has forsaken him; it is inconsistent with His nature and covenant (Ps. 77:7-9). His promises cannot fail; His mercy, which is from everlasting, cannot be blotted out from His nature.
4. He will conquer his doubts by remembering God’s wonders wrought for His people of old (Ps. 77:10-15). God must be unchangeable. God redeemed His people from their afflictions in Egypt; therefore, He will redeem them from their present affliction. – C. Short
You will recall that Jesus, while traveling with His disciples, cursed a fig tree, and the next day:
“…as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away. And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.” – Mark 11:20-22
“Psalm 77” by Isaac Watts, 1719. Tune: DUNDEE, Scottish Psalter, 1615
1. To God I cried with mournful voice, I sought His gracious ear, In the sad hour when trouble rose, And filled my heart with fear.
2. Sad were my days, and dark my nights, My soul refused relief; I thought on God, the just and wise, But thoughts increased my grief.
3. My overwhelming sorrows grew, Till I could speak no more; Then I within myself withdrew, And called Thy judgments o’er.
4. I called Thy mercies to my mind, Which I enjoyed before; And will the Lord no more be kind; His face appear no more?
5. Will He for ever cast me off? His promise ever fail? Has He forgot His tender love? Shall anger still prevail?
6. But I forbid this hopeless thought, This dark, despairing frame, Rememb’ring what Thy hand hath wrought; Thy hand is still the same.
7. Grace dwells with justice on the throne; And men that love Thy Word Have in Thy sanctuary known The counsels of the Lord.
