Psalms 77:1

“I cried unto God with my voice, etc.] Which is to be understood of prayer, and that vocal, and which is importunate and fervent, being made in distress; (see <190304>Psalm 3:4), or “my voice was unto God” f1085, “and I cried”; it was directed to him, and expressed in a very loud and clamorous way: even unto God with my voice; or “my voice was unto God”; which is repeated to show that he prayed again and again, with great eagerness and earnestness, his case being a very afflicted one: and he gave ear unto me; his prayer was not without success; God is a God hearing and answering prayer, according to his promise, (<195015>Psalm 50:15).”

“This Psalm appears to have been occasioned by the removal of the sanctuary from Shiloh in the tribe of Ephraim to Zion in the tribe of Judah, and the coincident transfer of pre-eminence in Israel from the former to the latter tribe, as clearly evinced by David's settlement as the head of the Church and nation. Though this was the execution of God's purpose, the writer here shows that it also proceeded from the divine judgment on Ephraim, under whose leadership the people had manifested the same sinful and rebellious character which had distinguished their ancestors in Egypt. (Psa. 78:1-72) my people . . . my law--the language of a religious teacher (Psa 78:2; Lam 3:14; Rom 2:16, Rom 2:27;…”

“I cried unto God with my voice - That is, he cried or prayed audibly. It was not mere mental prayer. See the notes at Psalms 3:4. Even unto God with my voice - The repetition here is emphatic. The idea is that it was an earnest or fervent cry. Compare the notes at 2 Corinthians 12:8. And he gave ear unto me - See Psalms 5:1, note; Psalms 17:6, note. return to 'Top of Page'”

“Ps 77 The psalmist laments that God has turned away from him, even though he feels innocent. He reflects on his situation (77:3, 6, 12) and finds hope (see 25:5) in remembering God’s past deeds (77:11). 77:1-3 The night provides a special opportunity for prayer and meditation (77:6, 11; see 6:6; 16:7; 17:3; 30:5; 63:6; 119:55, 62, 148).”

“A Psalm: This Psalm is allowed by the best judges to have been written during the Babylonian captivity. of Asaph: or, for Asaph, Psa 50:1 \*title I cried: Psa 3:4, Psa 34:6, Psa 55:16, Psa 55:17, Psa 142:1-3 gave: Psa 116:1, Psa 116:2 Psalms 77:2”

“The poet is resolved to pray without intermission, and he prays; fore his soul is comfortless and sorely tempted by the vast distance between the former days and the present times. According to the pointing, והאזין appears to be meant to be imperative after the form הקטיל, which occurs instead of הקטל and הקתילה, cf. Psa 94:1; Isa 43:8; Jer 17:18, and the mode of writing הקטיל, Psa 142:5, Kg2 8:6, and frequently; therefore et audi = ut audias (cf. Sa2 21:3). But such an isolated form of address is not to be tolerated; והאזין has been regarded as perf. consec. in the sense of ut audiat, although this modification of האזין into האזין in connection with the appearing of the Waw consec. cannot…”