The Pulpit Commentary — Psalms — Volume 2 — Section 101

EXPOSITION. God who lrnd brought the calamity, whl\t-- PSALM LXXVII. e~er it was, upon his people. Seemingly, he Tms pso.lm is the lament and expostnlation had "cast them off"-he had "forgotten to be gra.cions" (see vers. 7-9). I com- with God of some afflicted person, perhaps plained; mther, I muse or meditate (Heng- Asaph, who speaks as the mouthpiece of etenberg, Kay, lJheyne). And my 1pirit waa his countrymen, complaining of Israel's overwhelmed; or, wauth faint, as in the apparent d=rtion by God (vers. 1-9), bnt Prayer-book Version. thence rising into a higher strain of hope Ver. 4.-Tho11 boldest mine eyes waking; literally, thou holdest the watches of mine and coufidence, baEed on a recollection of eye,; ie. preventeclst me from obtaining any Jehovah's past mercies (vers. 10-20). The sleep. I am eo troubled that I oa.nnot speak; particular occa.sion which called forth the literally, I wa., perplezed and did not speak. psalm cannot be determined. The psalm The perplexity wa~ probably caused by an consists of six stanzas of three verses ea.eh, inability to understand God's ways. Why had he afflicted his people? Was the afflic- to which is appended one of two verses only. tion always to continue? Was Israel cast The panse-mark, "sele.h," occurs at the end off? of the firat, the third, and the fifth stanzas. Ver. 5.-I have oonsidered; rather, I con- sidered. In my perplexity, when I could no Ver. 1.-I cried UD.to God with my voice, longer speak, I betook myself to meditation. even UD.to God with my voice. The repeti- I considered the days of old, the years of tion marks the intensity of the appeal, ancient times. Be called to mind, i.e., God's " with my voice "-that the appellant is not doings in the po.et (comp. vers. H-19). content with mere silent prayer. And he Ver. 6.-I call to remembrance my song gave ~a.r UD.to me; rather, "that he may in the night. He bethought himself of the hearken unto me" (Cheyne), or "a.nd do songs of thanksgiving whioh he used to sing thou hearken unto me" (Hengstenberg, to God in the uight (comp. Job xxxv. 10) Kny). on account of mercies received; but this did Ver. 2.-ID th.e day of my trouble I sought not comfort him. "Nessun me.ggior dolore the Lord (comp. Gen. x:u:v. 3; He.b. iii 16). che ricordarsi di tempo felice ne!Ja miserie.." ]l[y sore ran in the night; rather, my hand I oommnne with mine own bee.rt, and my wcu stretched out in the night (Cook, Cheyne, 1pirit made diligent search; • or, "and I Revised Versiou) ; comp. Pa. :nviii. 2. diligently searched out my spirit" (Cheyoe). And ceased not. He continued in prayer all The resnlts of the searchings ont seem to through the night. My soul refused to be be given in vers. 7-10. comforted (comp. Gen. xxuii. 35; Jer. xxxi. Ver. 7.-Will the Lord ea.et off for ever1 15). He wag like Ja.cob when he lost The psalmist asked himself in the night Joseph, or like Rachel weeping for her such questions as lheae: Is it really to be children. suppoiied that God will cast off his people Ver. 3.-I remembered God. e.nd wa1 for eoor 1 And will he be favourable (or, troubled. The tenses need a.re preaen t rather graoious) no more 1 Surely such desertion than pa.et; they mark continue.nee; they is incredible. describe the condition in which the writer Ver. 8.-IB his meroy olee.n g011e tor ever 1 remuincd for clays or weeks. He thought of The mercy which be he.s 10 long shown God, but tue thought troubled hiw. It was towe.rdll Israel (comp. Ps. lxxriii.). Doth hill PS, LXXVII, 1-20.] THE BOOK OF PSALMS. 111