Psalms 77:1-15 - Homilies By C. Short

Refuge in God's unchangeableness.

Occasion of the psalm uncertain. "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."

I. HE PERSEVERES IN PRAYER , THOUGH HE HAS NO SENSE OF THE PRESENCE OR MERCY OF GOD . ( Psalms 77:1-3 .)

II. WHEN HE CAN NO LONGER PRAY , HE FALLS BACK IN THOUGHT UPON THE MEMORIES OF THE PAST . ( Psalms 77:4-6 .)

III. IF GOD HAS FORSAKEN HIM , IT IS SOMETHING INCONSISTENT WITH HIS NATURE AND COVENANT . ( Psalms 77:7-9 .) His promises cannot fail; his mercy, which is from everlasting, cannot be blotted out from his nature. Psalms 77:10 is of doubtful interpretation.

IV. HE WILL CONQUER HIS DOUBTS BY REMEMBERING GOD 'S WONDERS WROUGHT FOR HIS PEOPLE OF OLD . ( Psalms 77:10-15 .) Because God must be unchangeable. God redeemed his people from their afflictions in Egypt; therefore he will redeem them from their present affliction.—S.