El Shaddai and Adonai,
The power of the wicked will be broken,
but the Lord upholds the righteous. (Psalm 37:17 NIV)
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 I would not be comforted.
3 I remembered you, God, and I groaned;
I meditated, and my spirit grew faint.[b]
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 meditated and my spirit asked:
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?”
10 Then I thought, “To this I will appeal:
the years when the Most High stretched out his right hand.
11 I will remember the deeds of the Lord;
yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.
12 I will consider all your works
and meditate on all your mighty deeds.”
13 Your ways, God, are holy.
What god is as 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.
16 The waters saw you, God,
the waters saw you and writhed;
the very depths were convulsed.
17 The clouds poured down water,
the heavens 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.
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. (Psalm 77 NIV)
1 I poured out my complaint to you, God.
I lifted up my voice, shouting out for your help.
2 When I was in deep distress, in my day of trouble,
I reached out for you with hands stretched out to heaven.
Over and over I kept looking for you, God,
but your comforting grace was nowhere to be found.
3 As I thought of you I moaned, “God, where are you?”
I’m overwhelmed with despair as I wait for your help to arrive.
Pause in his presence
4 I can’t get a wink of sleep until you come and comfort me.
Now I’m too burdened to even pray!
5 My mind wandered, thinking of days gone by—
the years long since passed.
6 Then I remembered the worship songs I used to sing
in the night seasons,
and my heart began to fill again with thoughts of you.
So my spirit went out once more in search of you.
7 Would you really walk off and leave me forever, my Lord God?
Won’t you show me your kind favor, delighting in me again?
8 Has your well of sweet mercy dried up?
Will your promises never come true?
9 Have you somehow forgotten to show me love?
Are you so angry that you’ve closed
your heart of compassion toward me?
Pause in his presence
10 Lord, what wounds me most is that it’s somehow my fault that
you’ve changed your heart toward me
and I no longer see the years of the Mighty One
or your right hand of power.
11 Yet I could never forget all your miracles, my God,
as I remember all your wonders of old.
12 I ponder all you’ve done, Lord, musing on all your miracles.
13 It’s here in your presence, in your sanctuary,
where I learn more of your ways,
for holiness is revealed in everything you do.
Lord, you’re the one and only, the great and glorious God!
14 Your display of wonders, miracles, and power
makes the nations acknowledge you.
15 By your glory-bursts you’ve rescued us over and over.
Just ask the sons of Jacob or
the sons of Joseph, and they will tell you!
And all of us, your beloved ones, know that it’s true!
Pause in his presence
16 When the many waters of the Red Sea took one look at you,
they were afraid and ran away to hide—
trembling to its depths!
17 Storm clouds filled with water high in the skies;
cloudbursts and thunderclaps announced your approach.
Lightning-flashes lit up the landscape.
18 Rolling whirlwinds exploded with sonic booms of thunder,
rumbling as the skies shouted out your story
with light and sound and wind.
Everything on earth shook and trembled as you drew near.
19 Your steps formed a highway through the seas
with footprints on a pathway no one even knew was there.
20 You led your people forward by your loving hand,
blessed by the leadership of Moses and Aaron. (Psalm 77 TPT)