Psalms In My Palms - Book 2 -SOVEREIGNTY

My Memory is Not Failing!

Psalms 77:1-20

 We are confronted with another Psalm of Asaph, the chief musician. This Psalm is of troubled believers looking within and seeing no relief; but the believer is well aware that beyond all his troubles there is a SOVEREIGN GOD who cares and aids him when he is in need.

So Asaph began this Psalm by saying, (NKJV)-"I cried out to God with my voice-To God with my voice and He gave ear to me, ". (TLB)-"I call and call," suggests a persistence of not giving up. When you know the God who listens, you don't stop until you get an answer. (Psalm 39:7-NKJV-"And now Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in You,"; Psalm 63:4-"Thus will I bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your Name,"; Psalm 133:2-"Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the Lord,")

The Psalmist went on to go into detail about his problem. (TEV)-"In time of trouble I pray to the Lord; all night long I lift up my hands in prayer, but I cannot find comfort,". He admits he thinks of God; he even concentrates on God, but he still feels discouraged. He is crying out for help and is overwhelmed with his need. (How many times have you felt this same despair in spite of trying to fight it off by Asaph's method. (NKJV)-"My hand was stretched out in the night without ceasing." We moan and complain because we really know God can help us, but we are not understanding why He hasn't!

Finally distress got so severe He said, (TLB)-"I cannot sleep until You act. I am too distressed even to pray!" Sound familiar? We are not so holy that we do not experience the same emotions. (Psalm 63:6-"When I remember You in my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches."). This was also David's dilemma in Psalm 63. That makes four who are experiencing this feeling: Asaph in Psalm 77; David in Psalm 63; you at times, and me at moments. That is why I call this PSALMS IN MY PALMS. It is the basis of the Psalms I read and understand because I feel them every day! They are ME!

Asaph continued his agony when he said, (TLB)-"I think of God and moan, overwhelmed with longing for His help." He related familiar tones when he said, (TLB)-"I cannot sleep until You act. I am too distressed even to pray! I keep thinking of the good old days of the past, long since ended." Asaph used the same thought when he reminisced in verse 6, (TLB)-"Then my nights were filled with joyous song. I searched my soul and meditated. I commune with mine own heart and my spirit made diligent search."

Asaph's search brought only questions! He laid out six questions which disturbed his mind severely:

1. "Will the Lord cast me off forever?"

A. The Bible says, "He will never leave us nor forsake us." (Deuteronomy 4:31)

2. "And will He be favorable no more?"

A. "God's people will obtain favor forever." (Acts 7:45&46)

3. "Has His mercy ceased forever?"

A. His mercy endures to all generations." (1 Chronicles 16:34)

4. "Has His promise failed forever?"

A. "His promises are yea and amen!" (2 Corinthians 1:20)

5. "Has God forgotten to be gracious?"

A. God never forgets! (Hebrews 6:10)

6. "Has He in anger shut up His tender mercies?"

A. "His mercy endures..." (1 Chronicles 1:20)

Asaph was at the point of despair; but to all of these questions there is but one answer! We must rely on the Word of God and His Word has not altered! (Read 2 Peter 3:8&9-(NKJV)-"But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promises, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish..." )

Slowly Asaph began to pull himself up from his confessed anguish. The best way is to remember the good things God has done. Recall victories! So Asaph said, (TEV)-"I will remember Your great acts, Lord; I will recall the wonders You did in the past. I will think about all You have done; I will meditate on all Your deeds." (NKJV) words it-"But I will remember...I will meditate...and I will talk of all Your deeds." This is the final answer:remembering, meditating and talking about it. We could learn a great lesson from this! The three keys to coming out of despair or depression is in God's Word-REMEMBER-MEDITATE-AND TALK! Too many times we hold in our sorrows and fears until they become our undoing instead of facing it and overcoming it by remembering God, meditating on Him and talking about it to others- that is talking about what God has done!

Joyously Asaph declared 6 answers of victory to his own questions of defeat:

1. "Your way is in the Sanctuary;"

A. (NKJV)-"Until I went in the sanctuary of God; then I understood their end."

2. "Who is so great as our God?"

A. Recognizing God's greatness relieves our stress in the house of God!

3. "You are the God who does wonders;"

A. He had already demonstrated His power over Egypt.

4. "You have declared Your strength among the people."

A. He brought them out of Egypt by many miracles!

5. "You have with Your arms redeemed Your People."

A. Israel was delivered from Egypt.

6. "The sons of Jacob and Joseph ".

A. Both were mightily used of God by deliverance.

Now Asaph began to feel elated over his memories of God's powerful, miraculous work in behalf of His people, Israel. His reference to Jacob and Joseph shows he recalls the hand of God all around him. Psalm 77:16-(TLB)-"when the Red Sea saw You, how it feared! It trembled to its depth." Then he went on to explain how the "clouds poured down their rain; thunder rolled and crackled in the sky. Your lightening flashed." (So much for not going near the water in a thunder storm.). "There was thunder in the whirlwind." (What a loud noise must have accompanied the Israelites as they stood in open area waiting for God's next move!). "The lightening lighted up the world! The earth trembled and shook!" (With all that water being displaced from above and around the area, it must have been a frightening sound to the Israelites!).

Then Asaph hits the most miraculous part as he informed us "Your road led by the pathway through the sea- a pathway no one knew was there!" (Miracle enough!) Read Psalms 74:12-17; 93:1-5; 18::16&17; 32:6; 144:7; Exodus 14:21.). But Asaph concludes with this profound statement, "You led Your people along that road likes flock of sheep, with Moses and Aaron as their shepherd." Psalm 23 speaks for itself, "He leadeth me..." Is important as we are not the leaders in control of our lives but He holds the reigns. He is the Great Shepherd!

How could there be any doubt that SOVEREIGN GOD IS STILL IN CONTROL OVER ALL OUR LIVES! No doubts left at all!

Next time...