Psalm 77

Life can be hard.  In the shadows, light is obscured.  Nevertheless, the shadow is not all there is.  There is light, and there is hope.  Psalm 77 is really a wonderful song of hope.  It is an honest song.  Asaph writes with honest lament during a season of trouble.  There is value for all of us to learn something of the biblical practice of lament.  In this song we learn that the expression of honest lament can meaningfully precede a reaffirmation of hope.  The middle verse of Psalm 77 is like a pivot point, moving the song from lament to hope.  Healthy lament moves toward revitalizing hope.  In this song we see how the two go together, and how we can move from despair to new resolve through intentionally remembering what God has already done.  We intentionally remember what God has done in the past so that we can look to the future with hope.

Pastor Tim Haugen