Psalm 77
To the choirmaster: according to Jeduthun. A Psalm of Asaph.
I cry aloud to God,
aloud to God, and he will hear me.
2 In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord;
in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying;
my soul refuses to be comforted.
3 When I remember God, I moan;
when I meditate, my spirit faints. Selah
4 You hold my eyelids open;
I am so troubled that I cannot speak.
5 I consider the days of old,
the years long ago.
6 I said, “Let me remember my song in the night;
let me meditate in my heart.”
Then my spirit made a diligent search:
7 “Will the Lord spurn forever,
and never again be favorable?
8 Has his steadfast love forever ceased?
Are his promises at an end for all time?
9 Has God forgotten to be gracious?
Has he in anger shut up his compassion?” Selah
10 Then I said, “I will appeal to this,
to the years of the right hand of the Most High.”
11 I will remember the deeds of the Lord;
yes, I will remember your wonders of old.
12 I will ponder all your work,
and meditate on your mighty deeds.
13 Your way, O God, is holy.
What god is great like our God?
14 You are the God who works wonders;
you have made known your might among the peoples.
15 You with your arm redeemed your people,
the children of Jacob and Joseph. Selah
16 When the waters saw you, O God,
when the waters saw you, they were afraid;
indeed, the deep trembled.
17 The clouds poured out water;
the skies gave forth thunder;
your arrows flashed on every side.
18 The crash of your thunder was in the whirlwind;
your lightnings lighted up the world;
the earth trembled and shook.
19 Your way was through the sea,
your path through the great waters;
yet your footprints were unseen.
20 You led your people like a flock
by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
Can you imagine singing this Psalm 77 in Church? It's pretty darkly emotional. And we don't usually worship God by singing to Him we feel He has deserted us. It does, however, sound like what a child says to a parent to get attention.
Dear God, I can't sleep, I am worried - You don't do what I want anymore. I think You don't like me. But You are the power and the glory. Forever. Amen.
Wow, can you really see singing that at Church? Only if we hold up our Vacation Bible School art with it.
I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." — Maya Angelou
A dear lady told me her husband had recovered from a severe heart attack, the doctor said he'd died twice on the table. Her husband was able to tell them what was going on during the electric paddles being used - most unusual because he was very unresponsive. So. He has a near death experience and his wife has insomnia. In light of recent events, there have been a lot of joking about the rapture...... He drowsily woke up at 4 Saturday morning, reached over to pat his wife and - - - her side of the bed was empty......!!!!! .....!!!! He said he'd never gotten out of bed faster to race through the house. He said he had to sit down when he discovered her asleep on the sofa.
Later, when he told his wife, it provided them some much needed comic relief.
Asaph is connecting to the LORD with all of his real feelings. It's much harder to forget all the things that jumble together when we are real with Him.
Jeduthun and Asaph are mentioned in the Scriptures 45 times. David discerned they should be employed for the Lord. Asaph is asked at the beginning of his employment, to be chief of giving praise to God as David arrives with the Ark of the Covenant. Asaph called this Lifting Up in the Psalms.
Asaph writes Psalm 50 - God telling us we can we follow all the rules, God still sees the intentions of the heart. He will accept no bull.
Asaph remembers living through civil war and war. Something many people would lose hope through - Psalm 77,78,79 and 83 - looking at God in times of extreme adversity.
Psalm 75 - Asaph has lived through an amazing time! God is as near as His Name! Asaph's job, from David, to be chief in charge of praising God. This is a celebration! God dwells with them as David becomes King of Israel. Asaph has seen a wonderful work of the Lord.
Asaph and Jeduthun are later called seers. Another word for Prophet. We remember Nathan for bravely telling David about the little lamb slain. But Asaph and Jeduthun should be remembered for not putting forth a beautiful, remote, austere litany - Asaph is telling about raw emotions for the important issues in life - Asaph tells us of relationship. Dad, Abba, I need You. Abba, You've always been there for me. Help me.
Psalm 81 is Asaph's. A Psalm that is both dark and beautifully hopeful.
Psalm 81
To the choirmaster: according to The Gittith. Of Asaph.
Sing aloud to God our strength;
shout for joy to the God of Jacob!
2 Raise a song; sound the tambourine,
the sweet lyre with the harp.
3 Blow the trumpet at the new moon,
at the full moon, on our feast day.
4 For it is a statute for Israel,
a rule of the God of Jacob.
5 He made it a decree in Joseph
when he went out over the land of Egypt.
I hear a language I had not known:
6 “I relieved your shoulder of the burden;
your hands were freed from the basket.
7 In distress you called, and I delivered you;
I answered you in the secret place of thunder;
I tested you at the waters of Meribah. Selah
8 Hear, O my people, while I admonish you!
O Israel, if you would but listen to me!
9 There shall be no strange god among you;
you shall not bow down to a foreign god.
10 I am the Lord your God,
who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.
Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.
11 “But my people did not listen to my voice;
Israel would not submit to me.
12 So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts,
to follow their own counsels.
13 Oh, that my people would listen to me,
that Israel would walk in my ways!
14 I would soon subdue their enemies
and turn my hand against their foes.
15 Those who hate the Lord would cringe toward him,
and their fate would last forever.
16 But he would feed you with the finest of the wheat,
and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”
Thank You, Asaph. And You Holy Father, Lord God Almighty. Amen.
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Asaph, Seer, Prophet, Daddy Abba come back, Blessings, Dwell in hope, overcoming adversity, Christianity, Relationship not religion, Bible, Scripture, Jesus is Lord, Messiah, Anglican, Prayer, Faith, Hope, Love, Miracles. What the Prophet saw in the Words He gave us.
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