One writer calls Psalm 77 a “transcript” of a Christian’s life experiences. The “ups” and “downs” of a Believer’s life! And verse 1 begins on the mountaintop!

“I cried unto God with my voice, even unto God with my voice; and he gave ear unto me.”

I say verse 1, yet it follows the Psalm’s “superscript.” Where the most unusual word is the noun, proper noun, “Jeduthun.” Who is this person? “Apparently a Levite of the family of Merari and the chief of one of the three choirs of the temple. His descendants also formed one of the perpetual temple choirs. Furthermore, he is named at the beginning of three Psalms, those being Psalms 39, 62, and 77. Where he is perhaps either the composer (at times) or the recipient of those Psalms … but most likely the leader of the choir by which those Psalms were to be sung.

In fact, here’s the entire superscript itself: “To the chief Musician, to Jeduthun, A Psalm of Asaph.” The name Jeduthun  means “praise” or “praising one.”

So Psalm 77 is cataloged as such, “A Hymn of Praise.” But it does contain other elements, as we shall see. It consists of mixed genres, one might rightly claim.

Meanwhile, back to verse 1. “I cried unto God with my voice, even unto God with my voice; and he gave ear unto me.”  This is as clear a declaration of answered prayer as ever has been written!

The verb “cried” is “tzsaaq” in Hebrew, unusual. Only found 55 times in the entire Old Testament (929 chapters), the verb means “to call for help.” But two or three times it also carries the meaning of “gathering together” a group, maybe for prayer! It can too mean “to cry out loud when in distress or need.”

That he is praying audibly is obvious, “with my voice.” The noun “kol” means “sound” or “thunder” as well as one’s own “voice.”

And then God … “gave ear!”

The verb “azan” means “listened, hearkened, perceived,” but also “responded, was obedient!” Nearly shocking!

God doing what the Psalmist has sincerely asked!

Again this reminds me of what our Lord commanded in Isaiah 45:11. “Thus saith the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, Ask me of things to come concerning my sons, and CONCERNING THE WORK OF MY HANDS COMMAND YE ME.” 

Wow!

Asaph did so.

And God kept His Word!

It is an overall Bible Truth … God does hear and answer prayer.

Enjoy that privilege today … in your life … friend!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

Yes, another new Psalm for us to consider. On the Website I mean. After twelve years or so of what averages a Lesson a day! This time, Psalm 77.

For several reasons.

One, because it is authored (under the direct inspiration of the Holy Spirit) by a man named Asaph. His name in Hebrew means “gatherer.” Or one who “assembles” or “collects” things. Here “nuggets” of Wisdom from God!

Secondly, because the 150 Psalms are so hard to catalogue, to group into families, that Asaph provides a perfect nexus for doing such. He wrote 12 of the Psalms! So a study of the “Asaphian Psalms” can always be in order!

By the way, here they are, in numerical order: Psalm 50. Then in immediate succession Psalms 73 through 83, amazing! All by this one little man. David, as another example, wrote about half the Psalms, 73 by actual count I think.

Thirdly, Asaph often “tackles” a problem in his Psalms. Some “issue” that troubled him. And we get to see how he “solved” the problem. Via spiritual reasoning.

I have previously called him the “philosopher” of the Psalter. We can actually watch him “think” in a God pleasing way!

Well, more next Lesson, the Lord willing.

But it is essential that I at least share with you the Chapter, the whole Poem. It shares some similarities (seems to me) with Habakkuk chapter 3, another great Passage of Scripture. Real Faith Builders, both!

PSALM 77

“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.”

With great anticipation!

Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

What a thrilling song of praise, Psalm 66.

All 20 verses!

And I’ve just noticed something else, after having studied the Text with you for a couple of weeks! That’s the nature of the ever living Word of God, always presenting us something “fresh” and “invigorating!”

The Psalm invites various groups to join in praise to God. It is truly a “call to worship!”

For example, verse 1. “Make a joyful noise unto God, ALL YE LANDS.” Including the islands, not just the vast continents!

Then verse 4. “ALL THE EARTH shall worship thee, and shall sing unto thee; they shall sing to thy name.” Now the globe’s inhabitants are invited!

Verse 7 as well. “He ruleth by his power for ever; his eyes behold the nations: LET NOT THE REBELLIOUS EXALT THEMSELVES.” Anarchists, submit! Unbelievers, come, repent, obey!

Then in verses 8 and 9, the followers of this great God themselves! “O bless OUR GOD, ye people, and make the voice of his praise to be heard: Which holdeth our soul in life, and suffereth not our feet to be moved.” See it now, “our God.” Christians, we’d call them today, our kind of folks.

Then in verse 16, those who “fear” God. “Come and hear, ALL YE THAT FEAR GOD, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul.” The “God-fearers” are generally people on the verge of trusting the Lord! Or at least that’s what they were called in Paul’s day.

Now look at the list!

All lands!

All peoples, all the earth!

Even unbelievers, rebels … still unbroken!

Children of God, too! Those who joyfully claim Him as their own!

And folks “under conviction,” we’d say today. The God fearers, wanting to know more about Him and His wonderful works.

Quite a list, five fold.

Oh yes, let me join them too!

And verse 2 is a good place to start. “Sing forth the honour of his name: make his praise glorious.” Amen!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

 

Psalm 66 has become, nearly so, a “manual” on prayer! At least much of the Poem addresses that critical issue.

Including its last verse, today’s focus. “Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me.” Psalm 66:20

The participle “blessed” is “barak” in Hebrew. It means “to kneel” as well as “to bless.” Also “to congratulate, to praise” and “to salute.” It is translated all these ways in the King James Bible.

This Psalmist is determined to “uplift” His God! To adore and worship Him!

Two reasons for such exultation are mentioned. Both are “negative,” things which God DID NOT DO! Things He has NOT turned away! “To turn” (in Hebrew “sur”) actually means “to eschew, to avoid, to reject.”

First, is the Poet’s Prayer, which clearly has been heard of God!  “Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer.”

The noun “prayer” is “tephillah,” 77 times translated “prayer” in the Old Testament. It means “to intervene, to interpose,” implying our idea of “intercession.” Asking God, most often for someone else, certain things, needs to be met. Breaking into God’s eternal routine … pleading for His Power or Wisdom or Guidance … in some area of life!

Wow!

Here is Almighty God, in Isaiah 45:11, commanding us to pray like that! “Thus saith the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, Ask me of things to come concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands command ye me.”

Wow again!

“Ask Me!”

“Command Me!”

Thus says the Lord.

But back to today’s verse. The second matter that has triggered the writer’s worship of God. “Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, NOR HIS MERCY From me.”

God’s Mercy!

Such a necessity has NOT been diverted from the Psalmist!

This little noun (mercy) is spelled “hesed” in Hebrew, a fundamental Old Testament word. (First cousin to “Grace” in the New Testament, I often say.) “Hesed” means “kindness, pity, concern for the suffering.” It suggests God “coming down” to meet the needs (especially salvation) of staggering humanity!

Praise the Lord!

See … I am reacting just as the writer did! “Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me.”

Has God hear your prayer, as of late?

Has His mercy still been extended toward you?

If so, break into song!

Let flow from your lips praise!

“BLESSED BE THE LORD!”

“BLESSED BE THE LORD!”

“BLESSED BE THE LORD!”

Amen.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

Yesterday we learned that God will not hear our prayers … if we harbor iniquity within our hearts. Then, the first step toward answered prayer, for the Christian, MUST BE asking for forgiveness of our daily sins!

But now (in his next verse) our little Psalmist says more. Telling us a lot about himself, I think. “But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer.” Psalm 66:19

Yes. The Lord has “heard” this pious man’s prayers! And “attended” to his voice, his plea! This last verb is “qashab” in Hebrew, indicating God “inclined” His Ear toward the praying believer! God “cupped” His Ear, as if to hear better!

Truly we all know this. GOD INDEED ANSWERS PRAYER!

Yet the amazing thing is the “coupling” of the two verses, Psalm 66:18-19. And I had never noticed their “linkage” until recently.

“If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me. BUT VERILY GOD HATH HEARD ME; HE HATH ATTENDED TO THE VOICE OF MY PRAYER.

Amen!

Cleansed from sins!

As David in Psalm 51 asked, perhaps. “Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.”

There’s more. “Purge me, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.”

Then this. “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.”

Yes … we can live lives that do not “regard” iniquity!

We can, put into New Testament language: “Confess our sins,” knowing that God “is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1st John 1:9

Then we can all praise God and rejoice in our hearts. “But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer.”

What a wonderful Lord we worship!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell