1<To the chief music-maker. After Jeduthun. Of Asaph. A Psalm.> I was crying to God with my voice; even to God with my voice, and he gave ear to me. 2In the day of my trouble, my heart was turned to the Lord: my hand was stretched out in the night without resting; my soul would not be comforted. 3I will keep God in memory, with sounds of grief; my thoughts are troubled, and my spirit is overcome. (Selah.) 4You keep my eyes from sleep; I am so troubled that no words come. 5My thoughts go back to the days of the past, to the years which are gone. 6The memory of my song comes back to me in the night; my thoughts are moving in my heart; my spirit is searching with care. 7Will the Lord put me away for ever? will he be kind no longer? 8Is his mercy quite gone for ever? has his word come to nothing? 9Has God put away the memory of his pity? are his mercies shut up by his wrath? (Selah.) 10And I said, It is a weight on my spirit; but I will keep in mind the years of the right hand of the Most High. 11I will keep in mind the works of Jah: I will keep the memory of your wonders in the past. 12I will give thought to all your work, while my mind goes over your acts of power. 13Your way, O God, is holy: what god is so great as our God? 14You are the God who does works of power: you have made your strength clear to the nations. 15With your arm you have made your people free, the sons of Jacob and Joseph. (Selah.) 16The waters saw you, O God; the waters saw you, they were in fear: even the deep was troubled. 17The clouds sent out water; the skies gave out a sound; truly, your arrows went far and wide. 18The voice of your thunder went rolling on; the world was flaming with the light of the storm; the earth was shaking. 19Your way was in the sea, and your road in the great waters; there was no knowledge of your footsteps. 20You were guiding your people like a flock, by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
Matthew Henry's Commentary
The psalmist's troubles and temptation. (1-10) He encourages himself by the remembrance of God's help of his people. (11-20) 1-10 Days of trouble must be days of prayer; when God seems to have withdrawn from us, we must seek him till we find him. In the day of his trouble the psalmist did not seek for the diversion of business or amusement, but he sought God, and his favor and grace. Those that are under trouble of mind, must pray it away. He pored upon the trouble; the methods that should have relieved him did but increase his grief. When he remembered God, it was only the Divine justice and wrath. His spirit was overwhelmed, and sank under the load. But let not the remembrance of the comforts we have lost, make us unthankful for those that are left. Particularly he called to remembrance the comforts with which he supported himself in former sorrows. Here is the language of a sorrowful, deserted soul, walking in darkness; a common case even among those that fear the Lord, #Isa 50:10|. Nothing wounds and pierces like the thought of God's being angry. God's own people, in a cloudy and dark day, may be tempted to make wrong conclusions about their spiritual state, and that of God's kingdom in the world. But we must not give way to such fears. Let faith answer them from the Scripture. The troubled fountain will work itself clear again; and the recollection of former times of joyful experience often raises a hope, tending to relief. Doubts and fears proceed from the want and weakness of faith. Despondency and distrust under affliction, are too often the infirmities of believers, and, as such, are to be thought upon by us with sorrow and shame. When, unbelief is working in us, we must thus suppress its risings. 11-20 The remembrance of the works of God, will be a powerful remedy against distrust of his promise and goodness; for he is God, and changes not. God's way is in the sanctuary. We are sure that God is holy in all his works. God's ways are like the deep waters, which cannot be fathomed; like the way of a ship, which cannot be tracked. God brought Israel out of Egypt. This was typical of the great redemption to be wrought out in the fulness of time, both by price and power. If we have harboured doubtful thoughts, we should, without delay, turn our minds to meditate on that God, who spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, that with him, he might freely give us all things.