Worship XIII, Day 15 I Will Sing: Digging Deeper
April 11, 2025
Discover the original intent of Scripture. Make good application to our everyday lives.
Become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!
Psalm 77:1-13
and he will hear me.
2 I sought the Lord in my day of trouble.
My hands were continually lifted up
all night long;
I refused to be comforted.
3 I think of God; I groan;
I meditate; my spirit becomes weak.
Selah
You have kept me from closing my eyes;
I am troubled and cannot speak.
5 I consider days of old,
years long past.
6 At night I remember my music;
I meditate in my heart, and my spirit ponders.
7 “Will the Lord reject forever
and never again show favor?
8 Has his faithful love ceased forever?
Is his promise at an end for all generations?
9 Has God forgotten to be gracious?
Has he in anger withheld his compassion?”
Selah
10 So I say, “I am grieved
that the right hand of the Most High has changed.”
11 I will remember the LORD’s works;
yes, I will remember your ancient wonders.
12 I will reflect on all you have done
and meditate on your actions.
13 God, your way is holy.
What god is great like God?
The Original Intent
1) Why was the psalmist so distraught? (verses 1-6)
Asaph, the psalmist and worship leader for Israel, sings a song of lament in Psalm 77:1-6 where he models humility by crying aloud to God, seeking God in his day of trouble, continually lifting his hands to God through the night, sharing honestly how he refuses to be comforted, groans, can’t sleep or speak, and feels his spirit is weak. Through all of his heart-rending prayer, he gets no reply from God. No help, no relief, no comfort, no solace, no reproach or rebuke. Just silence.
The longer the silence extends, the deeper his distress grows. Asaph begins to worry God has forgotten him. Jon Bloom suggests that Asaph was so disturbed “Because from his perspective it appeared God had decided to abandon his promises to Israel. And if God doesn’t keep his word, those who trust in him build the house of their faith on the sand — a very disturbing thought.” Asaph wonders where God is and why He doesn’t answer his anguished prayers.
Most believers have had these dark nights of heart wrenching petition and despair. Even Jesus experienced fervent, anguished times of prayers that were so intense He sweat drops of blood. (Luke 22:44) God allowed Asaph to question, grapple, and struggle in his pursuit of God. His Spirit led Asaph to record his wrestlings in the Psalms for future generations who would experience the same struggles, so we could have the assurance that wrestling with doubts, depression, and sorrow do not preclude us from pursuing the Lord.
Challenges, pain, griefs, frustration, and sorrow beyond human words are a natural part of working out our salvation with fear and trembling when we bring them to the Lord as an act of surrendered worship. (Philippians 2:12) For even in the bringing, we demonstrate faith that our God still hears and cares.
The Everyday Application
1) Why was the psalmist so distraught? (verses 1-6)
I have had a few horrible times when I was so sick and upset that I became distraught. Once, I experienced vertigo that wouldn’t go away. The more I prayed, and my situation didn’t change, the more troubled I became. I started worrying I would never be able to walk or drive my kids anywhere ever again. This spiraled into worry about being a burden to my family, and then I became so agitated I couldn’t sleep.
I tried to pray between the panicked moments, but every minute that passed without relief ratcheted up my anxiety. As distraught as I was, I was not as miserable as Asaph in Psalm 77:1-6, who cried out, groaned, lost sleep and petitioned God for help that didn’t come quickly.
Jon Bloom argues that “Something happens that shakes our confidence in what God has said, causing us to waver over what we’ve understood to be true about Him or His character. This uncertainty produces anxiety and fear.” When bad things happen, we tend to panic, and then doubt if God is really in control or really has good plans for us. One negative thought breeds another until we are swimming in anxiety.
Nathaniel Gray Sutanto notes, “Depression creates feelings that contest our identity and cleansing in Christ—but the Spirit within us calls us to defy those feelings. The feelings might be real, but they do not indicate reality—Jesus does.”
It is important to remember the reality that God is always good, no matter what our circumstances tell us (Romans 8:38-39), and He is with us in our troubles (Psalm 46:1).
The Original Intent
2) Why would the psalmist question God’s goodness? (verses 7-10)
When the Lord did not seem to be answering Asaph’s prayers, he questioned God, “Will the Lord reject forever and never again show favor? Has his faithful love ceased forever? Is his promise at an end for all generations? Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he in anger withheld his compassion?” Selah So I say, ‘I am grieved that the right hand of the Most High has changed.’” (verses 7-10)
When God seemed far away, Asaph let doubts creep in. He questioned if God was really who He claimed, and he questioned if God’s promises were even true. Though Asaph’s questions might seem harsh, author Joni Eareckson Tada asserts, “These questions honor God because they show […] you are being honest before the Lord, and you are looking to Him for honest answers.”
Esther Smith concurs, arguing that “Only when we speak aloud the thoughts we actually have—not the thoughts we want to have—can we work through them and get to a place where we’re seeing clearly and believing rightly. What better place for thoughts to be transformed than in prayer? When we pray, God is present to help us.”
God used these intense, earnest inquiries birthed from pain to lead Asaph toward the truth of His love, mercy, and faithfulness. (Nehemiah 9:17) God allowed Asaph to ask these difficult questions about God so he could realize that the answer to each doubt was that God is still the same as He always has been. (Malachi 3:6)
The Everyday Application
2) Why would the psalmist question God’s goodness? (verses 7-10)
My mother spent almost two years in a hospital, nearly dying several times. Some days, her situation changed hourly, and I constantly juggled work and childcare schedules so I could be with her or help my dad flex his schedule. When she was home, there were medications to give and routines and procedures to learn for her care.
Eventually I found myself questioning God. I wondered why He didn’t seem to care about my mom’s suffering or our constant state of upheaval. Was He really as good as I’d always thought He was? How long would he let this go on? I had some things in common with the Psalmist Asaph, who cried out, “Will the Lord reject forever and never again show favor? Has his faithful love ceased forever? Is his promise at an end for all generations? Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he in anger withheld his compassion?” Selah So I say, ‘I am grieved that the right hand of the Most High has changed.’” (verses 7-10)
John Starke proposes, “These complaints are God’s gifts. He knows how we are. When we are at the end of our rope, these words are His way of lengthening the tether. . . God has inspired words of complaint and protest to say to Him when we are confused and sad, angry and desperate. He gave us words to say into our pillow as we drink our tears.”
Like Asaph, eventually my questioning of God helped me realize all the answered prayers I was overlooking because of my distress, and all the ways God was good to us in the midst of our trouble. My troubles tested my faith, but God used my doubts and distress to remind me of His endless love and provision. (Jeremiah 31:3)
The Original Intent
3) How does the psalmist find hope for his troubled heart? (verses 11-13)
When Asaph the Psalmist lamented that God had changed and no longer loved or listened to him, he started to remember the truth about God, “I will remember the Lord’s works; yes, I will remember your ancient wonders. I will reflect on all you have done and meditate on your actions. 13 God, your way is holy. What god is great like God?” (verses 11-13) The Lord, in His kindness, led Asaph to remember all the answered prayers, the goodness, the miracles of old, and the kindnesses and victories of God in his own life.
John Piper calls Asaph’s strategy “remembering, meditating, and musing on the deeds and wonders of God in history. . . This is the way to live the Christian life. This is what I mean by living on the Word of God.” After considering his circumstances and lamenting his condition, Asaph looked at the reality of God in his life and found hope.
Ann Voskamp suggests, “Get down on your knees in prayer and that’s where you begin to find slivers of hope. . . And hope isn’t about getting what you planned, but getting to be in the presence of Hope Himself, prayerfully aligning our heart with His . . .” Asaph worked through his doubts, fears and sorrows in prayer and meditation to see the truth of God in his life and the lives of his people. He realized that God was his refuge and his strength (Psalm 46:1) the One who hears and answers (Jeremiah 33:3).
God has His own timetable that didn’t match Asaph’s, but the worship-leader remembered he could trust God’s perfect timing and choose to sing while He waited. (Ecclesiastes 3:11)
The Everyday Application
3) How does the psalmist find hope for his troubled heart? (verses 11-13)
My friend’s father, a retired minister, was diagnosed with an extremely aggressive form of bone cancer that took him from healthy to bed-ridden in a matter of three months. My friend went to be by his dad’s side during the last few weeks of his life. His dad was in significant pain and deteriorating quickly, but what brought him solace was the reading of Scripture and the singing of hymns.
His last days passed more peacefully because his family surrounded him, praising God in song and reading God’s Word aloud to him. We learn in Psalm 77:11-13 that remembering and meditating on God’s Word is indeed the way to restore hope when hope has been lost. Asaph turned his crisis of faith into a celebration of God’s goodness by reflecting on the mighty works and words of the Lord.
Nathaniel Gray Sutanto notes that Asaph “turns away from himself and points upward and into a deeper contemplation of the character and works of God.” When we are in distress, experiencing physical or emotional pain, it’s hard not to focus on the negative and turn our eyes on God and His truth. But when we do, we find the hope we need to navigate the darkness and find the answers we need in Him alone. (Matthew 7:7)
Can We Pray With You?
Prayer is central to our ministry as believers in Jesus as we carry eachother’s burdens and intercede for one another. Our team is honored to share the work of praying alongside you!
This Week's Lock Screen
Authentically living out a life of worship to the God who rescued us from darkness requires accountability and intentionality. Join a GT POD and take the next step in your faith journey!
