Psalm 77:1,2 In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord; My hand stretched out in the night without ceasing; my soul refused to be comforted.
The word trouble is significant here. The psalmist here is referring to everything in life. If you have a Strong's Concordance you can refer to 6862. The Psalmist is going beyond just crying out with His voice. He is searching for the Lord. The Amplified Bible puts it like this. In the day of my trouble I seek, inquire of and desperately require the Lord. Perhaps he's on his knees with his hands raised toward God in desperation. Or maybe he's pacing back and forth? That's my usual mode. The thought occurs to me that, maybe I'd do better on my knees! Either way I can get a clear picture. Probably because I've been there more than once. These times in my life are hard to forget. That as desperately as I search for the Lord I am unable for whatever reason to find any comfort.
My hand stretched out in the night without ceasing. He is refusing to let up. This psalmist is far more committed than I have ever been. In the night without ceasing. My nights are for sleeping and this psalmist night is in warfare. Hands stretched out in prayer to his God. I can only remember once in my life where I came close to the picture this psalmist has described for us. Not in being troubled but in my response being so committed. I have spent most of my life trying to avoid and or figure out how to avoid these times. Yet today I am often still the troubled believer. There is a difference for me though. Today I am in a diligent pursuit of the nature of God verses the peace of God. His nature is the same yesterday, today and forever. He never changes while the things that bring or take away my peace are always changing. I still want peace but it comes from knowing the nature of God instead of in what He is doing.
My soul refused to be comforted. I know the verse that I should be believing. I know that what is tormenting me is a lie and I know that God my Father is the only truth that not will but has set me free but...... I can't seem to locate HIM right then. At these times, what I know of God and who I know Him to be, is in direct contrast to what I am experiencing. I know God as my provider yet where is today's provision? I know that He's healed me before so where is the healing today? I know that He loves me and that He gave His Son for me but where is the warmth of His embrace right now? For me it's like sitting in the same room as Ann Marie and I think she's trying to say something to me but the TV is so loud I can't here what she's saying to me. I don't know why I think she has something to say to me other than we're in the same room and I am expecting her to say something. When it doesn't appear to happen I began to ask why. Does she know I'm in the room? Does she care that I'm in the room? Doesn't she love me? Is she angry with me? Ask a wrong question and you'll get a wrong answer.
In the day of trouble, when everything appears to have gone wrong, when I am spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically spent, I search, inquire of and desperately require the Lord. You have to give this psalmist credit. He's going to God! His hand is stretched out to God. So far his "form and function" are correct.
We can see that the whole person is involved in this night. Every part of what makes him a man is drawn into this torment. His voice crys out, his hands are raised, his soul refuses comfort. And if that's not enough his eyes won't close and he's unable to speak in verse 4. His memory, heart and spirit are all involved in verse 5 and 6. Whatever the cause of his trouble it is not just in his mind. It's consuming his whole being. Again, everything that He knows of God is in stark contrast to what he is experiencing.
Here's a personal observation. There is usually no warning as to when these times will come. One day everything is peaceful and the next all trouble has broken out. Often for me I don't even know what the trouble really is. There is just a feeling or a sense of emptiness, loneliness or lostness (probably not a word).
There are not many wasted words in these two verses. They get right to the point and give us a valuable lesson about being a troubled believer.
I cry out to God with my voice - To God with my voice; And He gave ear to me. In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord; My hand was stretched out in the night without ceasing; My soul refused to be comforted. The Message says, I yell out to my God, I yell with all my might. I yell at the top of my lungs. He listens. I found myself in trouble and went looking for my Lord; my life was an open wound that wouldn't heal. When my friends said, "Everything will turn out all right," I didn't believe a word they said.
The word trouble is significant here. The psalmist here is referring to everything in life. If you have a Strong's Concordance you can refer to 6862. The Psalmist is going beyond just crying out with His voice. He is searching for the Lord. The Amplified Bible puts it like this. In the day of my trouble I seek, inquire of and desperately require the Lord. Perhaps he's on his knees with his hands raised toward God in desperation. Or maybe he's pacing back and forth? That's my usual mode. The thought occurs to me that, maybe I'd do better on my knees! Either way I can get a clear picture. Probably because I've been there more than once. These times in my life are hard to forget. That as desperately as I search for the Lord I am unable for whatever reason to find any comfort.
My hand stretched out in the night without ceasing. He is refusing to let up. This psalmist is far more committed than I have ever been. In the night without ceasing. My nights are for sleeping and this psalmist night is in warfare. Hands stretched out in prayer to his God. I can only remember once in my life where I came close to the picture this psalmist has described for us. Not in being troubled but in my response being so committed. I have spent most of my life trying to avoid and or figure out how to avoid these times. Yet today I am often still the troubled believer. There is a difference for me though. Today I am in a diligent pursuit of the nature of God verses the peace of God. His nature is the same yesterday, today and forever. He never changes while the things that bring or take away my peace are always changing. I still want peace but it comes from knowing the nature of God instead of in what He is doing.
My soul refused to be comforted. I know the verse that I should be believing. I know that what is tormenting me is a lie and I know that God my Father is the only truth that not will but has set me free but...... I can't seem to locate HIM right then. At these times, what I know of God and who I know Him to be, is in direct contrast to what I am experiencing. I know God as my provider yet where is today's provision? I know that He's healed me before so where is the healing today? I know that He loves me and that He gave His Son for me but where is the warmth of His embrace right now? For me it's like sitting in the same room as Ann Marie and I think she's trying to say something to me but the TV is so loud I can't here what she's saying to me. I don't know why I think she has something to say to me other than we're in the same room and I am expecting her to say something. When it doesn't appear to happen I began to ask why. Does she know I'm in the room? Does she care that I'm in the room? Doesn't she love me? Is she angry with me? Ask a wrong question and you'll get a wrong answer.
In the day of trouble, when everything appears to have gone wrong, when I am spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically spent, I search, inquire of and desperately require the Lord. You have to give this psalmist credit. He's going to God! His hand is stretched out to God. So far his "form and function" are correct.
We can see that the whole person is involved in this night. Every part of what makes him a man is drawn into this torment. His voice crys out, his hands are raised, his soul refuses comfort. And if that's not enough his eyes won't close and he's unable to speak in verse 4. His memory, heart and spirit are all involved in verse 5 and 6. Whatever the cause of his trouble it is not just in his mind. It's consuming his whole being. Again, everything that He knows of God is in stark contrast to what he is experiencing.
Here's a personal observation. There is usually no warning as to when these times will come. One day everything is peaceful and the next all trouble has broken out. Often for me I don't even know what the trouble really is. There is just a feeling or a sense of emptiness, loneliness or lostness (probably not a word).
There are not many wasted words in these two verses. They get right to the point and give us a valuable lesson about being a troubled believer.
I cry out to God with my voice - To God with my voice; And He gave ear to me. In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord; My hand was stretched out in the night without ceasing; My soul refused to be comforted. The Message says, I yell out to my God, I yell with all my might. I yell at the top of my lungs. He listens. I found myself in trouble and went looking for my Lord; my life was an open wound that wouldn't heal. When my friends said, "Everything will turn out all right," I didn't believe a word they said.
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