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Wisdom & Poetry · WORLD ENGLISH BIBLE

Psalm 77

Psalm 77 is read especially through the theme of lament, within Book III (Psalms 73–89). Its language invites attentive prayer before quick application.

LamentCreation
Old Testament

Psalm 77

1For the Chief Musician. To Jeduthun. A Psalm by Asaph. My cry goes to God! Indeed, I cry to God for help, and for him to listen to me.

2In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord. My hand was stretched out in the night, and didn’t get tired. My soul refused to be comforted.

3I remember God, and I groan. I complain, and my spirit is overwhelmed. Selah.

4You hold my eyelids open. I am so troubled that I can’t speak.

5I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient times.

6I remember my song in the night. I consider in my own heart; my spirit diligently inquires:

7“Will the Lord reject us forever? Will he be favorable no more?

8Has his loving kindness vanished forever? Does his promise fail for generations?

9Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he, in anger, withheld his compassion?” Selah.

10Then I thought, “I will appeal to this: the years of the right hand of the Most High.”

11I will remember the LORD’s deeds; for I will remember your wonders of old.

12I will also meditate on all your work, and consider your doings.

13Your way, God, is in the sanctuary. What god is great like God?

14You are the God who does wonders. You have made your strength known among the peoples.

15You have redeemed your people with your arm, the sons of Jacob and Joseph. Selah.

16The waters saw you, God. The waters saw you, and they writhed. The depths also convulsed.

17The clouds poured out water. The skies resounded with thunder. Your arrows also flashed around.

18The voice of your thunder was in the whirlwind. The lightnings lit up the world. The earth trembled and shook.

19Your way was through the sea, your paths through the great waters. Your footsteps were not known.

20You led your people like a flock, by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

READ IN CONTEXT

Understanding Psalm 77

Psalm 77 is read especially through the theme of lament, within Book III (Psalms 73–89). Its language invites attentive prayer before quick application. Read it within the complete five-book Psalms collection, then compare its prayer language with the types of prayer found across Scripture. Classification is a reading aid rather than a replacement for the Psalm's own movement and tension.

Collection

Book III (Psalms 73–89). The five-book shape of the Psalter helps readers hear individual prayers within a deliberately arranged collection.

Themes detected

Lament, Creation. Read for these themes while remaining open to tension and secondary movements.

TEXT-DERIVED READING NOTES

What to notice in Psalm 77

Psalm 77 contains 20 verses and about 304 words in this translation. These observations come from the chapter itself; they are prompts for close reading, not claims about its only possible meaning.

The opening movement

Verse 1 begins: “For the Chief Musician. To Jeduthun. A Psalm by Asaph. My cry goes to God! Indeed, I cry to God for help, and for him to listen to me.” Ask what situation, voice, image, or argument this opening establishes for everything that follows.

The closing movement

Verse 20 closes: “You led your people like a flock, by the hand of Moses and Aaron.” Compare the ending with the opening and note what changed, resolved, intensified, or remained open.

Vocabulary worth tracing

Recurring or prominent content words include will, remember, hand, selah, waters, night. Follow where each word appears and whether its meaning shifts with the speaker or setting.

COMMON QUESTIONS

About Psalm 77

Which Bible translation is shown here?+

This page reproduces the World English Bible Protestant edition (WEBP), a modern-English translation dedicated to the public domain.

How should I cite a specific verse?+

Use the book, chapter, and verse—for example, Psalms 77:1—and name the World English Bible if the wording matters. Each verse number above is a direct anchor link.

Does the chapter number define the complete literary unit?+

Not always. Chapter and verse numbers were added for navigation. Check the paragraphs, scenes, poetic stanzas, or argument before and after this chapter.

What kind of Psalm is this?+

Our reading profile emphasizes lament, with related themes of Lament, Creation. Many Psalms blend genres or move between moods, so this label is a guide rather than a rigid classification.

A SMALL NEXT STEP

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