We all experience trials and difficulties in life in some form. Many times when those difficulties last for prolonged periods of time, our hope for Yahweh to intervene on our behalf many times decreases. The hope that we once had gets smaller when the trials get bigger. Asaph, a man recorded in the Bible, encountered this sense of hopelessness in his life, too. In Psalm 77 we can find how Asaph changed his perspective from doubt to having hope in life.
A Cry for Help
Psalm 77:1-3: “I cried out to Elohim for help; I cried out to Elohim to hear me. When I was in distress, I sought Yahweh, at night I stretched out untiring hands and my soul refused to be comforted. I remembered you, O Elohim, and I groaned; I mused, and my spirit grew faint.”
Asaph is dealing with a great deal of turmoil. Untiringly he stretches his hands out to Yahweh pleading before him for help, but the pain from his circumstances is still so overwhelming. His pain is such that his soul even refuses to be comforted, and nothing can be said that will take away Asaph’s pain. He has no more enjoyment in life. Doesn’t this situation remind you of a situation you may have gone through or are now going through? The difficulties we face can be so overwhelming that we feel that we will break from the strain in our lives. Asaph took the right approach in dealing with his pain; he sought Yahweh and cried out to Him for help. Although the pain may be great, we can always turn to Yahweh for help.
Reflecting on the Past
Psalm 77:4-6a: “You kept my eyes from closing; I was too troubled to speak. I thought about the former days, the years of long ago; I remembered my songs in the night.”
“Back in the day” is the beginning of many a story by people who wish to reminisce about the past when things were somehow better. It is a way to compare how much better things were then. Asaph, too, thinks about his past and remembers the good times. He remembers when his heart was glad and he sang songs in the night. Life now is much different for him, and he longs for those times because right now all he feels is pain. We do the same when we encounter painful experiences. We wish we could somehow go back in time and relive those moments, but we can’t, and even that knowledge of not being able to relive those good times can add to the pain we are already suffering.
Questions of Doubt
Psalm 77:6-9: “My heart mused and my spirit inquired; Will Yahweh reject forever? Will He never show his favor again? Has His unfailing love vanished forever? Has His promise failed for all time? Has Elohim forgotten to be merciful? Has He in anger withheld his compassion?”
The accumulation of turmoil and pain and the longing for better times have created in Asaph’s mind seeds of doubt. His pain feels like it has lasted forever and will never cease. He feels rejected by Yahweh and that Yahweh has stopped loving him. He knows that Yahweh has promised that He will never forsake His people, but Asaph questions whether this is still true.
When we get sick, even if it’s just a cold, it sometimes feels that we will never get better and that there is no end of misery in sight. Similarly but even more so, Asaph questions whether the suffering will ever end. Asaph discovers that suffering does end and that there is hope.
Remembrance for Hope
Psalm 77:10-12: “Then I thought, ‘To this I will appeal: the years of the right hand of the Most High.’ I will remember the deeds of Yahweh; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. I will meditate on all your works and consider all your mighty deeds.”
“Then I thought” is the breakaway point in Asaph’s thinking. He stopped what he was doing, which was reacting poorly to the situation by doubting Yahweh, and he started to really think. about Yahweh. He remembered Yahweh’s deeds, Yahweh’s miracles, and of all the works that Yahweh had done. The cares and the worries that he just had a moment ago are not so big anymore. The pain is not so unbearable because Asaph knows that Yahweh is powerful enough to help him through any amount of suffering. He has stopped focusing on the pain and started focusing on Yahweh.
Remembrance of Who Yahweh Is
Psalm 77:13-15: “Your ways, O Elohim, are holy. What Elohim is so great as our Elohim? You are the Elohim who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples. With your mighty arm you redeemed your people, the descendants of Jacob and Joseph.”
Yahweh is the one who is in charge, not us. Yahweh is the one has great power, not us. Asaph remembers, as we need to, that Yahweh is sovereign in all things, even during our pain. Asaph takes the focus off himself and puts it on Yahweh where it belongs. We can do nothing alone, but with Yahweh all things are possible. We need to constantly remind ourselves of who Yahweh is and what He can do. We need to trust in Yahweh and believe in His power. Remember that Yahweh is great and awesome and that if He is with us, who can stand against us?
Recalling Yahweh’s Power
Psalm 77:16-20: “The waters saw you, O Elohim, the waters saw you and writhed; the very depths were convulsed. The clouds poured down water, the skies resounded with thunder; your arrows flashed back and forth. Your thunder was heard in the whirlwind, your lightning lit up the world; the earth trembled and quaked. Your path led through the sea, your way through the mighty waters, though your footprints were not seen. You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.”
Asaph remembers when Yahweh led Israel out of Egypt and how He delivered them from the Egyptians. Israel had to go through trials too, just as Asaph did and just as we do, but Yahweh never left Israel during their trials, and Yahweh will never leave us. Times may be scary or painful, but we can be assured of Yahweh’s power and promise to help us though.
Remembering who Yahweh is and what He can do is just the first step in overcoming doubt. We must believe in who He is that He can do all things. We must also humble ourselves to His will in our lives and know that Yahweh is sovereign and not us. Asaph started losing hope during his pain, but by focusing on Yahweh he regained his hope. We too can regain hope in our lives during our times of doubt; we just need to stop, remember, and believe.
by Joel Wirl
