Psalm 77 Summary - 5 Minute Bible Study

Psalm 77 Short Summary:

Psalm 77 was written by Asaph during a time of despair and distance from God. He was tempted to believe God had forgotten about Him and His people. To stave off his doubt, he meditated on God’s amazing deeds towards Israel in their history, specifically God’s great miracle in helping Israel escape the Egyptians at the Red Sea.

Psalm 77 Summary

AUTHOR:

• Psalm 77 was written by Asaph.

NEW TESTAMENT REFERENCES:

• No Known New Testament References.

THEMES:

• Fighting for faith by reminding oneself of the great works of God.

DEFINITIONS:

• Selah (77:3) – This word appears over 70 times in the Psalms. Scholars have tried for years to discover the true meaning of the word, but it remains somewhat of a mystery. Some scholars think it’s a musical pause or a literary pause, calling on the reader to stop and ponder what was just stated.  Other scholars propose its meaning is related to worship, an expression of praise to God. Still others suggest it’s a literary device used by the ancients to mark themes that run through the text. The only other book in the Bible where “Selah” is found is the book of Habakkuk.

OUTLINE:

• HAS GOD ABANDONED US? (77:1-9):

  • Asaph wrote about a period of distance from God. God’s blessings seemed absent from the land and Asaph was worried God was angry with His people.

  • Asaph was distressed about this, and his soul couldn’t find comfort.

  • He called out to God in hopes of resolving this issue.

  • He asked, “Will the Lord spurn forever, and never again be favorable? Has His steadfast love forever ceased? Are His promises at an end for all time? Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has He in anger shut up His compassion?” (77:7-9).

• REMEMBERING THE PAST TO REINFORCE PRESENT FAITH (77:10-15):

  • Asaph wasn’t ready to conclude God had abandoned them.

  • To reinforce his faith, he reminded himself of God’s amazing work in the past.

  • He was going to spend some time meditating on God’s miracles and His care for the people of Israel in previous centuries.

• THINKING BACK TO THE RED SEA (77:16-20):

  • One of God’s most incredible displays of power in the history of Israel was when He parted the waters of the Red Sea and allowed Israel to escape the Egyptians (Exo 14).

  • Asaph recalled how the water responded to God’s command, the water feared Him and it obeyed Him.

  • The psalmist envisioned God leading His people through the sea, although He didn’t walk among them like a man leaving footprints in the sand.

  • If God led Israel through the depths of the sea during Moses and Aaron’s day, certainly it wouldn’t be right for Asaph to abandon hope in Him now.

  • His meditation on the Red Sea crossing helped him through the period of doubt he described in the first nine verses.

APPLICATION:

• This is one of many psalms that shows us godly people aren’t immune to a bit of despair and a bit of doubt.

• Even a person who knows the stories of the great works of God can struggle in periods of prolonged hardship.

• This psalm teaches us how to sustain our faith in those difficult times.

• In your walk with the Lord, you’ll have moments on the mountain top, when you feel close to God, and everything is going great.

• This isn’t a psalm for those moments.

• This is a psalm for people fighting for their faith in the trenches.