Psalm 77 guides us through the thought processes of a believer who settles on the act of remembering – to find relief for his soul. Note how he begins looking up, gives in to looking in, but ultimately resorts to looking back.
Looking Up
(vs. 1-3)
The Psalmist begins by looking up. He’s having a tough day (.2) but faith has taught him and trained him to look up. He cries to His God, he seeks God and brings God into his consciousness. He will not find comfort in temporal things around him, he wants only for God.
What a good habit this is, in whatever circumstances, to look up. (Luke 18.1). After all, as we shall see, looking around or looking within really will not help matters.
Looking up involves recognising the reality of God’s existence. And yes, God’s existence makes suffering more, not less perplexing (.3). How easy it is at this point, to end up retreating into ourselves. The flesh feeds us the lie that the two realities of God’s existence and suffering are incompatible. Faith looks to the suffering Saviour on the cross and begs to differ.
Looking In
(vs. 4-9)
Perhaps for lack of sleep (.4), now the writers’ thoughts turn inward. Difficult circumstances are doubly hard to cope with when we are exhausted. We cave more easily to the deceit that our flesh fills our minds with.
The outcome of this internal search is a series of questions about God’s goodness (6-9). Questions, not answers. Meanwhile the flesh has us wrapped around it’s little finger. The steadfast love of the Lord never fails (Lam. 3.22-23) but the Psalmist is now questioning even this (.8).
Mercifully, the stream of consciousness is interrupted with ‘Selah’, likely a musical instruction to stop and ponder. In like manner, we have a weekly Selah – on a Lord’s Day morning. Something that interrupts any inward looking and causes us to stop and ponder.
Looking Back
(vs. 10-20)
In the end, looking-in is futile. Other Psalms show us that looking around is no better. The Psalmist turns instead to look back. He occupies his mind with God’s past:
- Works (11-12)
- Wonders (11)
- Care (20)
On a Lord’s Day morning we do the same. Not looking on our own things but looking to Christ, we look back. We look back to the greatest work of God, accomplished at Calvary. Calvary eclipses all man-made works. It is the power of God unto Salvation. Calvary fills us with wonder too – the horror of our hatred towards a perfect man, the mystery of God incarnate expressing His own dilemma of being forsaken. And we call to mind the care and love of God which prompted Him to send His Son into the world in the first place. God’s works and wonders are not for entertainment purposes. He gave His only begotten Son because He so loved the world.
The Psalm ends rather abruptly, almost in mid-flow. There is no ‘Selah’ to pause and reflect. Perhaps the writer wishes for us to remain in a state of perpetual looking back – ever bringing to our remembrance the work, wonder and care of God.
Sure enough – until He come – we perpetually look back, calling to remembrance. And what a blessing, what a relief it is, to our souls. Indeed, looking back aids us in moving forward.
Backward look we, drawn to Calv’ry,
Gathered round Thyself Lord Jesus (Douglas Russell)
Musing while we sing;
Forward haste we to Thy coming,
Lord and King!
