From Self to God

Bible Passage: Psalm 77

I. General Information about Asaph and the Psalm

1. Asaph

a. 50, 73-83
b. Asaph was a choirmaster in David court
c. A full-time minister

2. Psalm 77 is “a kind of” symmetrical in structure

a. Till verse 9, it revolves around the psalmist.
b. From verse 11, it revolves around God.
c. Verse 10 is the axis of the symmetry.

3. Initially this was the experience of Asaph, and then it became the experience of the nation Israel (Judah).

II. Verse 1

1. With my voice I (cried) out to God crying with my voice to God that he would listen to me.

a. The psalmist developed a sense of God being distanced from him or God ignoring him.
b. The psalmist cried aloud, cried with desperation.
c. The psalmist had developed a loss of confidence in God hearing him.

III. Verse 2

1. In the day of my distress I sought the Lord, at night my hands have been extended (toward Him) without respite; (but) my soul has not been comforted.

a. For a period of time, the psalmist searched for God when he was in distress, but he felt that he was orphaned by God.
b. The very hope of deliverance has now become a cause of pain and spiritual distress.

IV. Verse 3

1. I remember God, and then I groan I ponder (on it)—and my spirit grows weak.

a. For a period, the psalmist felt rejection from God, suffered loneliness, and developed helplessness.
b. The psalmist grew depressingly weak.

V. Verse 4

1. You hold open my eyelids; I am so distraught that I cannot speak.

a. Sleeplessness: You kept my eyes from closing (the psalmist thinks that God withheld his sleep!)
b. Troubled disturbed.
c. The psalmist was in a borderline depression due to a sense of rejection.

VI. Verses 5-6

1. I reflect on the days of the past, of years long ago. At night I remember my songs; I ponder in my heart, and my spirit seeks (an answer).

a. In the former days, the psalmist enjoyed amazing closeness with God.
b. In the former days, the psalmist used to sing in the night; it brought delight to his heart.
c. Now, it’s drastically different now!

VII. Observations

1. Uncontrolled thoughts of rejection.
2. Fear of divine abandonment.
3. Self-pity (vv. 1-6)

a. Eleven “I”s.
b. “I stretched out untiring hands,” “my soul refused to be comforted,” “I groaned,” etc.

4. Sleeplessness (vv. 1-6).

VIII. Verses 7-9

1. Will the Lord spurn (us) forever, and never be favorable (to us) again? Has his loyal-love completely come to an end? Will his promises fail for generation after generation? Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he locked up his compassion in anger?

a. His analysis was contrary to God’s character! Six questions of doubts and bewilderment!

i. Verse 7: “Will the Lord reject forever?
ii. Verse 7b: Will he never show his favor again?
iii. Verse 8: Has his unfailing love vanished forever?
iv. Verse 8b: Has his promise failed for all time?
v. Verse 9: Has God forgotten to be merciful?
vi. Verse 9b: Has he in anger withheld his compassion?

2. The psalmist was responsible for his depression and sleeplessness.

a. He was operating on faulty theology.
b. Instead of God being at the center, the psalmist had kept himself at the center.

IX. Verse 10

1. And so I say, “My sorrow is this: the changing of the right hand of the Most High!”
2. (“The Most High God no longer acts on our behalf”)

a. The psalmist felt sick of his thoughts about God.

3. Rejection (vv. 7-9)—When the psalmist did not receive what he wanted from the Lord, he turned bitter against God.

a. The psalmist doubted God’s loyalty, graciousness, and His compassion toward him.
b. In this process, he questions the very character of God (cf. Exod 34:6-7 God, who is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding with loyal love and faithfulness, 7 keeping loyal love to the thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin).

X. Verses 11-12 (turn around)

1. The psalmist came to a realization that he was not thinking correctly about God.
2. Instead of focusing on his present predicament, he decided to recall God’s dealing with him and his people in the past.

a. Verse 11: I will remember the deeds of the LORD (“to call to remember”).
b. Verse 12: Surely, I will remember your wonders from long ago (הגה : to proclaim”).
c. Verse 13: I will also muse (שׂיח : “inner activity”) on all your work.
d. Verse 13: and I will meditate on your deeds.

XI. Verses 13-14 (14-15)

1. Verse 13a: O God, your way is distinctive ().
2. Verse 13b: Who is a great god like our God?
3. Verse 14a: You are the God who works wonders.
4. Verse 14b: you have made known your might among the peoples.
5. The minute he shifted focus away from himself to God, his despondency turning to excitement.
6. His doubt about God begins to change into confidence.

XII. Verses 15-20

1. The psalmist appeals to the Exodus event.

a. Verse 15: With your arm you redeemed your people. The nation Israel, the children of Jacob and Joseph.
b. Verse 16: Waters saw you, O God; waters saw you and they trembled. Surely the deeps shook.
c. Verse 17: The clouds poured out water. The skies ⌊thundered⌋. Your arrows also ⌊flew about⌋.
d. Verse 18: The sound of your thunder was in the whirlwind; lightnings lit the world; the earth shook and quaked.
e. Verse 19: Your way was through the sea, and your path through many waters. Yet your footprints were not discerned.
f. Verse 20: You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
g. This psalm does not have a formal conclusion.
h. Note the abrupt ending of the psalm—the psalmist was healed of his sleeplessness.
i. It probably is a poetic device to show that the psalmist who suffered sleeplessness suddenly fell asleep as he continued recounting.
j. Healing (vv. 11-20)—The psalmist came to his senses when he began to remember the past.

XIII. Principles

1. A good number of believers keep themselves at the center of their world and adamantly want God to be at their disposal.
2. A good number of believers adamantly want God to take care of their needs (more like a vending machine) (that’s all they want from God).
3. When their needs are not met at their time and way, they become sore towards God.
4. Believers need to learn to make God at the center and them at God’s disposal.
5. Instead of becoming sore towards God, they need to periodically recollect God’s redemptive story of their life.
6. In most cases (not all), believers are responsible for their depression and sleeplessness.
7. Healing happens when focus shifts from self to God.
8. We don’t develop our faith in God because of what we receive, but our faith is based on who He is.

XIV. Similar situation in the New Testament (2 Cor 12:8-10)

1. Apostle Paul cried to God three times, but God did not provide to him what he wanted.
2. Instead of developing “self-pity” Apostle Paul understood that God would not work against his wellbeing.
3. In other words, God has a purpose in letting him have a “thorn in the flesh.”
4. Therefore, he decided to align his will with God’s plan instead of forcing God to align with him.
5. Apostle Paul developed a theology of “thorn in the flesh.”

a. Unanswered prayers are not bad.
b. “Thorn in the flesh” may be God’s platform to reveal His power.

XV. Take Away

1. As frequently as possible, recount how God worked in your life in the past (this will heal your amnesia).
2. Learn to align your will with the plans of God instead of forcing God to align with you.

Takeaway:

1. As frequently as possible, recount how God worked in your life in the past (this will heal your amnesia)
2. Learn to align your will with the plans of God instead of forcing God to align with you