God’s Word for You
Psalm 77:1-3 I groan, I ponder
by Pastor Timothy Smith on Saturday, October 22, 2022
77 For the director of music. For Jeduthun. Of Asaph. A psalm.
I turned our attention to this Psalm on the day after September 11th, 2001. It’s time now to look at the whole Psalm and the message of the Holy Spirit through Asaph, one of David’s chief musicians. It was written during King David’s reign or early in Solomon’s, in the years surrounding 970 BC.
This is a psalm written to teach us, and to give comfort.
1 With my voice I cried out to God—
with my voice, to God, and he listened to me.
2 On the day when I was distressed I sought the Lord.
At night my hand was stretched out without growing weary,
but my soul refused to be comforted.
3 O God, I remember, I groan.
I ponder, and my spirit becomes weak.
What was it that Asaph suffered that made him cry out like this to God? He had a special position in Israel: David placed the ark of the covenant under his care in its special tent in Jerusalem while Zadok the high priest was still serving at the tabernacle in Gibeon (1 Chronicles 16:37-39 and 21:29). This bizarre arrangement came about because the sons of Eli foolishly carried the ark with them into battle many years before and lost the battle. The sons of Eli were killed, and the ark was captured by the Philistines (1 Samuel 4:11). When the ark was returned, it remained at a village called Kiriath Jearim for twenty years (1 Samuel 7:2). Although King Saul used it once in a battle, it was not removed from Kiriath Jearim until David became king. He brought it, with difficulty, into Jerusalem to a tent that was not its true tabernacle (2 Samuel 6:17). It remained there until the temple was completed by Solomon (1 Kings 8:6).
Asaph was also one David’s chief musicians, and when he is described in the Scriptures as helping to lead worship, we understand that he did so in the city of Jerusalem, especially before the ark, and not at the tabernacle which during David’s lifetime was never within the city.
Was it perhaps this very arrangement, that the ark was separate from the holy place and from the holy of holies for a whole generation, that made this musician ache, cry out, and groan before the Lord? Whatever Asaph was going through, he cried out for help. He knew that the Lord was listening, and that the Lord heard him. He confesses that he prayed all night long in the usual, hands-out posture of Old Testament believers (Exodus 9:29; 1 Kings 8:22; Ezra 9:5; Isaiah 1:15).
Like Jacob grieving over his son Joseph, Asaph refused to be comforted (Genesis 37:35). Even today there are sometimes those who cannot be comforted. Sometimes this is because of a sin that they have committed, but sometimes it is because of a dark tragedy in their life, especially the loss of a little child or some other burden, and they become inconsolable. When we encounter this, we must have a free hand with the gospel, but also comfort them with examples from the Bible. We must avoid subjunctive language such as “you should” or “you ought to” or even “why can’t you,” and allow their grief to pour out. The time will come for words, but sometimes silent companionship is better than words (Job 2:13; Lamentations 2:10). See how Asaph says: “I remember, I groan, I ponder.” He needed time; he needed to think through whatever was troubling him, and there are times when we need this, too. It isn’t always good to try to cheer someone up too quickly. Their grief will come back; it needs to be expressed.
To be the kind of friend who can listen to grief is an uncommon friendship; one out of a thousand “to be gracious” (Job 33:23-24). The Lord had not forgotten Asaph, and the Lord has not forgotten you. If you grieve, or ache, or agonize, don’t be afraid to express yourself. The Lord is not gone from your life. He, too, is listening. He, too, waits patiently with you, even if no one else is near. He listened to the one on the cross, and he is listening to you as you bear your own cross.
His mercy endures forever.
In Christ,
Pastor Timothy Smith
Pastor Smith serves St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in New Ulm, Minnesota. To receive God’s Word for You via e-mail, please visit the St. Paul’s Lutheran Church website.