From Night Sorrow to Faith Through Remembering God’s Works

Psalm 77 begins with a believer in deep distress, crying to God through the night and finding no quick comfort. The psalm honestly wrestles with fearful questions—whether God has forgotten mercy—yet it refuses to end in unbelief. The turning point comes when the writer chooses to remember God’s mighty works, especially His redeeming acts for His people. God is praised as holy, powerful, and unmatched, whose way is often mysterious yet always faithful. The psalm closes by looking back to the Exodus: the Lord led His flock through the sea by the hand of Moses and Aaron, showing that remembrance strengthens faith in the dark.

Psalms 77:1 – 77:20

  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.