Psalm 77: When Believers Cry Out to God

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Psalm 77 When Believers Cry Out to God

• Forest Hills Bible Chapel
• 18 May 2008

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Hebrew Parallelism

• The main characteristic of Hebrew poetry, found
  in the Old Testament, is parallelism.
• The poetrys rhythm is produced by thought,
  instead of assonance, alliteration, or rhyme.

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Types of Parallelism

• There are three main types of parallelism found
  in the Old Testament.
• Synonymous
• Antithetic
• Synthetic

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Synonymous Parallelism

• The repetition of an idea.
• Lord, who may dwell in your sanctuary?
• Who may live on your holy hill?
• Psalm 151

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Antithetic Parallelism

• A thought made clear by contrasting ideas.
• The wicked man flees though no one pursues,
• But the righteous are as bold as a lion.
• Proverbs 281

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Synthetic Parallelism

• Ascending or descending progression.
• They will soar on wings like eagles
• They will run and not grow weary,
• They will walk and not faint.
• Isaiah 4031b

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Elements of Biblical Wisdom Lit.

• Poetic Literature refers to the form of the
  literature.
• Wisdom Literature refers to the content of the
  literature.
• There are 5 Books in the Psalter.
• 1-41
• 42-72
• 73-89
• 90-106
• 107-150

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• Psalms are hymns (Greek psalmoi) which were
  sung to God, either by individuals or by the
  congregation.
• There are many different types of Psalms.
• Praise
• Lament
• Imprecation
• Messianic
• Wisdom

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• The Book of Psalms is an anthology of
  anthologies or a collection of collections of
  the psalms.
• The Book of Psalms shows us that we can take
  every emotion anger, joy, doubt, confusion,
  love, etc. into the presence of God.

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Psalm 77 When Believers Cry Out to God

• 1 I cried out to God for help
• I cried out to God to hear me.
• 2 When I was in distress, I sought the Lord
• at night I stretched out untiring hands
• and my soul refused to be comforted.
• 3 I mused, and my spirit grew faint.     Selah

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Psalm 77 When Believers Cry Out to God

• 4 You kept my eyes from closing
• I was too troubled to speak.
• 5 I thought about the former days,
• the years of long ago
• 6 I remembered my songs in the night.
• My heart mused and my spirit inquired

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Psalm 77 When Believers Cry Out to God

• 7 Will the Lord reject forever?
• Will he never show his favor again?
• 8 Has his unfailing love vanished forever?
• Has his promise failed for all time?
• 9 Has God forgotten to be merciful?
• Has he in anger withheld his compassion?     Sela
  h

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Psalm 77 When Believers Cry Out to God

• 10 Then I thought, To this I will appeal the
  years of the right hand of the Most High.
• 11 I will remember the deeds of the LORD yes, I
  will remember your miracles of long ago.
• 12 I will meditate on all your works
• and consider all your mighty deeds.

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Psalm 77 When Believers Cry Out to God

• 13 Your ways, O God, are holy.
• What god is so great as our God?
• 14 You are the God who performs miracles you
  display your power among the peoples.
• 15 With your mighty arm you redeemed your people,
  the descendants of Jacob and Joseph.     Selah

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Psalm 77 When Believers Cry Out to God

• 16 The waters saw you, O God, the waters saw you
  and writhed the very depths were convulsed.
  17 The clouds poured down water, the skies
  resounded with thunder your arrows flashed back
  and forth. 18 Your thunder was heard in the
  whirlwind, your lightning lit up the world the
  earth trembled and quaked.

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Psalm 77 When Believers Cry Out to God

• 19 Your path led through the sea, your way
  through the mighty waters, though your footprints
  were not seen.
• 20 You led your people like a flock by the hand
  of Moses and Aaron.

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Psalm 77

• 1. The believer often goes through times of
  intense (though here, unspecified) suffering,
  difficulty, struggle, etc. vv. 1-3.

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Psalm 77

• 2. The events of the believers difficulties
  leads to significant personal reflection vv.
  4-9.
• The believer is struck with sleeplessness
  apparently from God Himself! v. 4a
• The believer remembers better times in his walk
  with the Lord. vv. 4b-6
• The believer asks significant questions about who
  God is, and what God does. vv. 7-9

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Psalm 77

• 3. The believer finds strength in both the
  character and deeds of a loving, covenant-making
  God vv. 10-20.
• The believer remembers the great saving acts of
  God in Israels past vv. 10-12.
• The believer remembers the holiness of God which
  is evident in his redemptive acts on behalf of
  Israel vv. 13-15.
• The believer remembers both the Exodus, and Gods
  shepherding of his people vv. 16-20.