Psalms 77:11 - Meaning and Application

The psalmist here comes back from deep trouble and quiets his fears that God has cast off his people. He does this by remembering the great things God had done for them before. He had tried this earlier in vain (Psalm 77:5, Psalm 77:6), but he tries again, and this time it helps him. It is good to keep using the right means to strengthen faith, even when they do not work right away.

“I will remember, surely I will, what God has done for his people long ago,” until he can draw hope from that memory in the middle of a dark time (Psalm 77:11, Psalm 77:12). The works of the Lord for his people have always been wonderful. They are written down so we can remember them. If we want real help from that memory, we must think about them carefully and speak about them, so we can learn more ourselves and help others learn too. Remembering God’s works is a strong guard against distrust of his promise and goodness, because he is God and does not change. If he begins a work, he will finish it and bring it to completion.

Two broad truths gave the psalmist deep comfort. First, God’s way is in the sanctuary (Psalm 77:13). That is, it is holy, according to the holy place and the holy law, and some understand it that way. When we cannot explain the details of God’s providence, we can still be sure of this, God is holy in everything he does. All his works fit his pure and upright nature. He has holy purposes in everything, and he will be honored as holy in every part of his rule. His way also agrees with his promise, which he has spoken in holiness and made known in the sanctuary. What he has done matches what he has said, and from what he has said we may safely gather that he will not cast off his people forever. His way is for the sanctuary, for the good of his church.

Second, God’s way is in the sea. Even though God is holy, just, and good in all he does, we still cannot fully explain his actions or always judge what he plans. “His path was in the great waters, and his footsteps were not known” (Psalm 77:19). His ways are like deep waters that cannot be measured (Psalm 36:6), or like a ship’s track on the sea, which cannot be traced (Proverbs 30:18, Proverbs 30:19). We must accept what God does, even when we cannot account for it.

The psalmist then looks back at several events from the early days of Israel. From them he learns, first, that no god can be compared with the God of Israel (Psalm 77:13). “Who is so great a God as our God?” We should first give God the honor due to him for the great things he has done for his people, and confess that he is greater than all others. Then we can take comfort from what he has done and strengthen ourselves with it.

He also learns that God is almighty (Psalm 77:14). “You are the God who alone does wonders,” greater than any creature can do. He has openly shown his power among the peoples. What God has done for his church has been a standing proof of his almighty power, because there he has shown his everlasting arm.

God brought Israel out of Egypt (Psalm 77:15). This was the beginning of mercy for them, and it was to be remembered every year in the Passover. “You redeemed your people with your arm,” stretched out in many miracles, “the children of Jacob and Joseph.” Though they were delivered by power, the psalm speaks of redemption, as if it were done by a price, because this pointed ahead to the great redemption that would come in the fullness of time, both by price and by power. They are called the children of Joseph as well as of Jacob, because Joseph firmly believed God would fulfill the promise. When he was dying, he spoke of Israel’s going out of Egypt and gave commands about his bones.

God also divided the Red Sea before them (Psalm 77:16). The waters gave way, and a path opened at once through that great mass, as if the waters had seen God himself leading Israel’s armies and had stepped back in fear. Not only the surface waters, but even the depths were stirred and opened to the right and left in obedience to his command. He destroyed the Egyptians too (Psalm 77:17). The clouds poured out water on them, while the pillar of fire, like an umbrella over Israel’s camp, sheltered his people from the storm. In this way, as in the flood, the waters above and below joined together to destroy the rebels. Then the skies sent out a sound, and his arrows went abroad. That is explained in the next verse: “The voice of your thunder was heard in the heaven” (Psalm 77:18). The sound from the skies was thunder, and the arrows were the lightning, which scattered the Egyptian army with such fear that the ground along the coast trembled and shook.

So God’s way was in the sea, both for the destruction of his enemies and the salvation of his people. Yet when the waters returned to their place, his footsteps could not be traced (Psalm 77:19). No mark was left there, unlike the memorial later set up in Jordan (Joshua 4:9). The story of Israel’s crossing the Red Sea does not mention thunder, lightning, or an earthquake, though such things may have happened, and Josephus says they did. It may also be that the psalm is pointing to the thunder, lightning, and earthquake at Mount Sinai when the law was given.

Finally, God led his people like a flock (Psalm 77:20). They were weak and helpless, and likely to wander like sheep, exposed to wild beasts. So God went before them with the care and tenderness of a shepherd, keeping them from failure. The pillar of cloud and fire did lead them, though the psalm does not mention that here. Instead, it speaks of Moses and Aaron, by whose hands God led them. They could not do it without God, but God did it with them and through them. Moses was their ruler, and Aaron their high priest. Through these two, God guided, watched over, and governed Israel. The right and good rule of civil leaders and ministers is, though not as great a miracle, still as great a blessing to any people as the pillar of cloud and fire was to Israel in the wilderness.

The psalm ends suddenly and does not fully apply these old examples of God’s power to the church’s present troubles, as we might expect.

But as soon as the good man began to think seriously about these things, he found that he had already reached his goal. Even starting to consider them brought him light and joy (Psalm 119:130). His fears suddenly and strangely disappeared, so that he did not need to go any farther. He went on his way and ate, and his face was no longer sad, like Hannah in (1 Samuel 1:18).