서론
无标题
简体中文
英文原文
This psalm, according to the method of many other psalms, begins with sorrowful complaints but ends with comfortable encouragements. The complaints seem to be of personal grievances, but the encouragements relate to the public concerns of the church, so that it is not certain whether it was penned upon a personal or a public account. If they were private troubles that he was groaning under, it teaches us that what God has wrought for his church in general may be improved for the comfort of particular believers; if it was some public calamity that he is here lamenting, his speaking of it so feelingly, as if it had been some particular trouble of his own, shows how much we should lay to heart the interests of the church of God and make them ours. One of the rabbin says, This psalm is spoken in the dialect of the captives; and therefore some think it was penned in the captivity in Babylon. I. The psalmist complains here of the deep impressions which his troubles made upon his spirits, and the temptation he was in to despair of relief, Ps 77:1-10. II. He encourages himself to hope that it would be well at last, by the remembrance of God's former appearances for the help of his people, of which he gives several instances, Ps 77:11-20. In singing this psalm we must take shame to ourselves for all our sinful distrusts of God, and of his providence and promise, and give to him the glory of his power and goodness by a thankful commemoration of what he has done for us formerly and a cheerful dependence on him for the future.
1-10
Prevailing Melancholy; Mournful Supplications
简体中文
持续的忧郁；哀痛的恳求
交与伶长耶杜顿。亚萨的诗。
¹ 我要向神发声呼求；我向神发声，他必留心听我。
² 我在患难之日寻求主；我在夜间不住地举手祷告；我的心不肯受安慰。
³ 我想念神，就烦躁不安；我沉吟悲伤，心便发昏。〔细拉〕
⁴ 你叫我不能闭眼；我烦乱不安，甚至不能说话。
⁵ 我追想古时之日，上古之年。
⁶ 我想起我夜间的歌曲，扪心自问，心里也仔细省察。
⁷ 难道主要永远丢弃我们，不再恩待我们吗？
⁸ 难道他的慈爱永远穷尽，他的应许世世废弃吗？
⁹ 难道神忘记开恩，因发怒就止住他的慈悲吗？〔细拉〕
¹⁰ 我便说：这是我的懦弱；但我要追念至高者显出右手之年代。
我们在此看见一幅善人在持续忧郁之下生动的写照——他落入那可怕的坑、那泥泞的 clay 中，又正在下沉，却挣扎着要出来。忧愁的圣徒——心灵忧伤的人——可以在此如照镜一般看见自己的面。诗人与忧愁恐惧的争战，在他写下这记录之时似乎已经过去；因为他说（诗77:1）：「我向神发声呼求，他留心听我」——这舒适的知觉在争战持续时他并未得着，是后来才有的；但他把它放在叙述开头，暗示他的患难并未以绝望告终；因为神听了他的祷告，至终他也知道神听了他的祷告。请看，
一、他忧郁的祷告。他既受苦便祷告（雅5:13），既在痛苦中便更加恳切地祷告（诗77:1）：「我的声音达到神，我用声音向神呼求。」他满有诉苦——大声的诉苦——但他把它们都指向神，把它们都转为祷告，口出的祷告，极其恳切而不倦。如此他为忧愁开了出口，也得着些安慰；如此他也走上了正路以得解脱（诗77:2）：「我在患难之日寻求主。」注意，患难之日当为祷告之日，尤其是内心的患难之日——当神似乎已离开我们之时——我们必须寻求他，并寻求直到寻见。在患难之日他不去寻求事务或娱乐的消遣以甩掉忧愁，而是寻求神——他的恩惠与恩典。内心忧愁的人不要妄想把它喝掉，也不要妄想把它笑掉，必须把它祷告掉。「我的手在夜间伸出，并不止息」（哈蒙德博士如此译随后的话），说到他祷告不息的迫切。参诗143:5-6。
二、他忧郁的忧愁。当忧愁可被称为真忧郁之时，1. 当它毫无间歇之时；他的便是如此：「我的伤痛」——我的伤口——「在夜间流」，在内里流血，并不止息，连定为安息睡眠之时也不止。2. 当它不容安慰之时；这也是他的情形：「我的心不肯受安慰」；他不肯听那些愿意安慰他的人。「对忧伤的心唱歌，就像碱上倒醋」（箴25:20）。他也不肯念那些可作他安慰之事；他把它们远远推开，如一个纵容自己忧愁的人。无论因何忧愁，若拒绝受安慰，不仅自害，更是得罪神。
三、他忧郁的沉思。他过分凝视那患难——无论是个人的还是公众的——以致，1. 本当解除他的方法反增加他的忧愁（诗77:3）。（1）人以为记念神会安慰他，却没有：「我想念神，就烦躁不安」，如可怜的约伯（伯23:15）：「我在他面前惊惶；我思念，便惧怕他。」当他记念神时，他的思想只紧贴于神的公义、忿怒与可畏的威严，于是神自己成了他的恐惧。（2）人以为在神面前倾心吐意会使他得安息，却没有；他「沉吟悲伤」，然而他的「心便发昏」，在重担之下下沉。2. 他当前得解脱的途径被拒绝了（诗77:4）。他不能享受睡眠——若安静而令人苏醒，原是我们忧愁挂虑的括号：「『你叫我不能闭眼』」——以你的可畏，使我「辗转反侧直到天亮」。他不能说话，因思想纷乱、心灵动荡、心中困惑之故：他「静默不开口」，而他的「心在我里面发热」；他「如同新皮袋快要破裂」（伯32:19），却又烦乱得不能说话、不能自慰。忧愁如此被压抑、被囚禁之时，对心灵的吞蚀再无甚于此。
四、他忧郁的回想（诗77:5-6）：「我『追想古时之日』」，把它们与现今相比；「我们的先祖所告诉我们的奇事，我们却看不见」。忧郁的人容易一味凝想古时之日、上古之年，又将其夸大，借以正当化自己对当前局势的不安与不满。但「你不要说『先前的日子胜过现在的日子』，因为你不是在智慧中这样问」（传7:10原文）。也不要让我们已失去的安慰的回忆，使我们不为所余留的感恩，也不使我们不耐于所受的十字架。特别地，他「想起『夜间的歌曲』」——他从前在忧愁中用以自勉、在孤独中用以自娱的安慰。这些歌曲他记起来，试着能否再唱一遍；却已失调不能唱，其记念反使「他在里面倾心」（诗43:4）。见伯35:10。
五、他忧郁的恐惧与念虑：「我『扪心自问』」（诗77:6）。「来吧，我的心，这些事的结局如何？我对它们能有何想，又能期望它们最终如何？我『仔细省察』」我患难的原因，诘问神为何与我争辩，其结局将如何。「我便开始这样推理：『难道主要永远丢弃我们』，像现今这样吗？他现在不施恩；『他不再恩待我们吗？』他的怜悯现在已去；『难道他的慈爱永远穷尽吗？』他的应许现在落空；『难道他的应许世世废弃吗？』神现在不开恩；『难道神忘记开恩吗？』他的慈悲已被收回——也许是出于智慧；但『因发怒就止住』它们吗？」（诗77:7-9）。这是一颗被撇弃的愁苦之灵的语言，行在黑暗中、又无光——一种情形，连「敬畏耶和华、听从他仆人之言」的人也不罕见（赛50:10）。他在此可被视为，1. 在剧痛之下呻吟。神向他掩面，收回素常恩惠的记号。注意，属灵的患难，对敬虔的灵魂而言，比一切患难更可畏；没有什么比「以为神发怒」——他的恩惠被搁置、他的应许被搁下——更伤它、更刺它；这伤的是灵；谁能担当呢？2. 与强烈试探搏斗。注意，神自己的百姓在阴云黑暗之日，也可能受试探对自己的属灵光景、并对神教会在世上的光景，作绝望的结论，并对两者都放弃一切。我们可能受试探以为神已丢弃我们、撇弃我们，恩典之约对我们失效，我们神的怜悯必永远向我们收回。但我们不可让步于这样的暗示。若恐惧与忧郁发这样的乖戾之问，就让信心从圣经回答它们：「『难道主要永远丢弃我们吗？』断乎没有」（罗11:1）；不，「『耶和华不丢弃他的百姓』」（诗94:14）。「『他不再恩待我们吗？』」他必再施恩；「他使人忧愁，却必施怜悯」（哀3:32原文）。「『难道他的慈爱永远穷尽吗？』」不；「他的怜悯『存到永远』；从亘古到永远」（诗103:17）。「『难道他的应许世世废弃吗？』」不；「神决不能说谎」（来6:18）。「『难道神忘记开恩吗？』」不；「他不能背乎自己」，也不能背乎他所宣告的名——「耶和华，是有怜悯、有恩典的神」（出34:6）。「『因发怒就止住他的慈悲吗？』」不；它们「每早晨都是新的」（哀3:23）；所以，「以法莲啊，我怎能舍弃你？」（何11:8-9）。他正如此在自己黑暗阴郁的念虑中继续之时，忽然他先用「细拉」一字责备自己：「停在这里；不要再走；不要再听见这些不信的臆测」；然后他责备自己（诗77:10）：「我便说：这是我的懦弱。」他很快就觉察这话不当，所以，「我的心哪，你为何忧闷？『我便说：这是我的患难』」——有人如此解——「这是临到我分内的灾祸，我必须尽力担当；每人都有自己的患难、自己肉身的刺；这就是我的——我必须背起的十字架。」或更确切地说：「这是我的罪；这是我的不义，是我心中的瘟疫。」这些疑惑恐惧出于信心的缺乏与软弱，并因心灵生病而来的败坏。注意，（1）我们都认识自己里面有某种可如此说的事：「『这是我的懦弱』——那最易缠累我们的罪」。（2）在患难之下心灵的颓丧与对神的不信，常是善人的「懦弱」；正因其如此，当如诗人此处，怀着忧愁羞愧反省它：「这是我的懦弱。」无论何时它在我们里头发动，我们必须如此压制其抬头，不容那恶灵说话。我们必须像诗人此处一样，借辩论把不信的叛乱压下去：「『但我要追念至高者显出右手之年代。』」他曾思想「上古之年」（诗77:5），思想往昔所享的福气——其记念只加增他的忧愁；但如今他把它们看作「至高者显出右手的年代」，即那些古时的福气是从「亘古常在者」而来，从「那超乎万有之上、永远可称颂之神」的右手权能与至高安排而来，这就使他满足了；因为至高者岂不能借他的右手随意作出任何改变吗？
英文原文
Prevailing Melancholy; Mournful Supplications
To the chief musician, to Jeduthun. A psalm of Asaph.
¹ I cried unto God with my voice, even unto God with my voice; and he gave ear unto me.
² In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord: my sore ran in the night, and ceased not: my soul refused to be comforted.
³ I remembered God, and was troubled: I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Selah.
⁴ Thou holdest mine eyes waking: I am so troubled that I cannot speak.
⁵ I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient times.
⁶ I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with mine own heart: and my spirit made diligent search.
⁷ Will the Lord cast off for ever? and will he be favourable no more?
⁸ Is his mercy clean gone for ever? doth his promise fail for evermore?
⁹ Hath God forgotten to be gracious? hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? Selah.
¹⁰ And I said, This is my infirmity: but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High.
We have here the lively portraiture of a good man under prevailing melancholy, fallen into and sinking in that horrible pit and that miry clay, but struggling to get out. Drooping saints, that are of a sorrowful spirit, may here as in a glass see their own faces. The conflict which the psalmist had with his griefs and fears seems to have been over when he penned this record of it; for he says (Ps 77:1), I cried unto God, and he gave ear unto me, which, while the struggle lasted, he had not the comfortable sense of, as he had afterwards; but he inserts it in the beginning of his narrative as an intimation that his trouble did not end in despair; for God heard him, and, at length, he knew that he heard him. Observe,
I. His melancholy prayers. Being afflicted, he prayed (Jam 5:13), and, being in an agony, he prayed more earnestly (Ps 77:1): My voice was unto God, and I cried, even with my voice unto God. He was full of complaints, loud complaints, but he directed them to God, and turned them all into prayers, vocal prayers, very earnest and importunate. Thus he gave vent to his grief and gained some ease; and thus he took the right way in order to relief (Ps 77:2): In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord. Note, Days of trouble must be days of prayer, days of inward trouble especially, when God seems to have withdrawn from us; we must seek him and seek till we find him. In the day of his trouble he did not seek for the diversion of business or recreation, to shake off his trouble that way, but he sought God, and his favour and grace. Those that are under trouble of mind must not think to drink it away, or laugh it away, but must pray it away. My hand was stretched out in the night and ceased not; so Dr. Hammond reads the following words, as speaking the incessant importunity of his prayers. Compare Ps 143:5,6.
II. His melancholy grief. Grief may then be called melancholy indeed, 1. When it admits of no intermission; such was his: My sore, or wound, ran in the night, and bled inwardly, and it ceased not, no, not in the time appointed for rest and sleep. 2. When it admits of no consolation; and that also as his case: My soul refused to be comforted; he had no mind to hearken to those that would be his comforters. As vinegar upon nitre, so is he that sings songs to a heavy heart, Pr 25:20. Nor had he any mind to think of those things that would be his comforts; he put them far from him, as one that indulged himself in sorrow. Those that are in sorrow, upon any account, do not only prejudice themselves, but affront God, if they refuse to be comforted.
III. His melancholy musings. He pored so much upon the trouble, whatever it was, personal or public, that, 1. The methods that should have relieved him did but increase his grief, Ps 77:3. (1.) One would have thought that the remembrance of God would comfort him, but it did not: I remembered God and was troubled, as poor Job (Job 23:15); I am troubled at his presence; when I consider I am afraid of him. When he remembered God his thoughts fastened only upon his justice, and wrath, and dreadful majesty, and thus God himself became a terror to him. (2.) One would have thought that pouring out his soul before God would give him ease, but it did not; he complained, and yet his spirit was overwhelmed, and sank under the load. 2. The means of his present relief were denied him, Ps 77:4. He could not enjoy sleep, which, if it be quiet and refreshing, is a parenthesis to our griefs and cares: "Thou holdest my eyes waking with thy terrors, which make me full of tossings to and fro until the dawning of the day." He could not speak, by reason of the disorder of his thoughts, the tumult of his spirits, and the confusion his mind was in: He kept silence even from good while his heart was hot within him; he was ready to burst like a new bottle (Job 32:19), and yet so troubled that he could not speak and refresh himself. Grief never preys so much upon the spirits as when it is thus smothered and pent up.
IV. His melancholy reflections (Ps 77:5,6): "I have considered the days of old, and compared them with the present days; and our former prosperity does but aggravate our present calamities: for we see not the wonders that our fathers told us off." Melancholy people are apt to pore altogether upon the days of old and the years of ancient times, and to magnify them, for the justifying of their own uneasiness and discontent at the present posture of affairs. But say not thou that the former days were better than these, because it is more than thou knowest whether they were or no, Ec 7:10. Neither let the remembrance of the comforts we have lost make us unthankful for those that are left, or impatient under our crosses. Particularly, he called to remembrance his song in the night, the comforts with which he had supported himself in his former sorrows and entertained himself in his former solitude. These songs he remembered, and tried if he could not sing them over again; but he was out of tune for them, and the remembrance of them did but pour out his soul in him, Ps 43:4. See Job 35:10.
V. His melancholy fears and apprehensions: "I communed with my own heart, Ps 77:6. Come, my soul, what will be the issue of these things? What can I think of them and what can I expect they will come to at last? I made diligent search into the causes of my trouble, enquiring wherefore God contended with me and what would be the consequences of it. And thus I began to reason, Will the Lord cast off for ever, as he does for the present? He is not now favourable; and will he be favourable no more? His mercy is now gone; and is it clean gone for ever? His promise now fails; and does it fail for evermore? God is not now gracious; but has he forgotten to be gracious? His tender mercies have been withheld, perhaps in wisdom; but are they shut up, shut up in anger?" Ps 77:7-9. This is the language of a disconsolate deserted soul, walking in darkness and having no light, a case not uncommon even with those that fear the Lord and obey the voice of his servant, Isa 50:10. He may here be looked upon, 1. As groaning under a sore trouble. God hid his face from him, and withdrew the usual tokens of his favour. Note, Spiritual trouble is of all trouble most grievous to a gracious soul; nothing wounds and pierces it like the apprehensions of God's being angry, the suspending of his favour and the superseding of his promise; this wounds the spirit; and who can bear that? 2. As grappling with a strong temptation. Note, God's own people, in a cloudy and dark day, may be tempted to make desperate conclusions about their own spiritual state and the condition of God's church and kingdom in the world, and, as to both, to give up all for gone. We may be tempted to think that God has abandoned us and cast us off, that the covenant of grace fails us, and that the tender mercy of our God shall be for ever withheld from us. But we must not give way to such suggestions as these. If fear and melancholy ask such peevish questions, let faith answer them from the Scripture: Will the Lord cast off for ever? God forbid, Ro 11:1. No; the Lord will not cast off his people, Ps 94:14. Will he be favourable no more? Yes, he will; for, though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion, La 3:32. Is his mercy clean gone for ever? No; his mercy endures for ever; as it is from everlasting, it is to everlasting, Ps 103:17. Doth his promise fail for evermore? No; it is impossible for God to lie, Heb 6:18. Hath God forgotten to be gracious? No; he cannot deny himself, and his own name which he hath proclaimed gracious and merciful, Ex 34:6. Has he in anger shut up his tender mercies? No; they are new every morning (La 3:23); and therefore, How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? Ho 11:8,9. Thus was he going on with his dark and dismal apprehensions when, on a sudden, he first checked himself with that word, Selah, "Stop there; go no further; let us hear no more of these unbelieving surmises;" and he then chid himself (Ps 77:10): I said, This is my infirmity. He is soon aware that it is not well said, and therefore, "Why art thou cast down, O my soul? I said, This is my affliction" (so some understand it); "This is the calamity that falls to my lot and I must make the best of it; every one has his affliction, his trouble in the flesh; and this is mine, the cross I must take up." Or, rather, "This is my sin; it is my iniquity, the plague of my own heart." These doubts and fears proceed from the want and weakness of faith and the corruption of a distempered mind. note, (1.) We all know that concerning ourselves of which we must say, "This is our infirmity, a sin that most easily besets us." (2.) Despondency of spirit, and distrust of God, under affliction, are too often the infirmities of good people, and, as such, are to be reflected upon by us with sorrow and shame, as by the psalmist here: This is my infirmity. When at any time it is working in us we must thus suppress the rising of it, and not suffer the evil spirit to speak. We must argue down the insurrections of unbelief, as the psalmist here: But I will remember the years of the right hand of the Most High. He had been considering the years of ancient times (Ps 77:5), the blessings formerly enjoyed, the remembrance of which did only add to his grief; but now he considered them as the years of the right hand of the Most High, that those blessings of ancient times came from the Ancient of days, from the power and sovereign disposal of his right hand who is over all, God, blessed for ever, and this satisfied him; for may not the Most High with his right hand make what changes he pleases?
11-20
Acknowledgments of the Divine Majesty, of God's Wonders Wrought for Israel
简体中文
承认 神的主权大能，并他为以色列所行的奇事
¹¹ 我要提说耶和华的作为；我也要记念你古时的奇事。
¹² 我也要思想你的经营，默念你的作为。
¹³ 神啊，你的道在圣所中；谁像你这般伟大的 神呢？
¹⁴ 你是行奇事的 神；你在列邦中彰显了你的能力。
¹⁵ 你曾用你的膀臂救赎了你的百姓，雅各和约瑟的子孙。细拉。
¹⁶ 神啊，诸水见你，诸水见你，就惊惶；深渊也都战抖。
¹⁷ 云中倒出水来，天空发出响声；你的箭也射出。
¹⁸ 你的雷声在旋风中；闪电照亮世界；大地战抖震动。
¹⁹ 你的道在海中，你的路在大水中，你的脚踪无人知道。
²⁰ 你曾借摩西和亚伦的手，引导你的百姓如同羊群一般。
诗人在此从他所陷的极大痛苦与灾祸中复苏，借着记念 神从前为他们所行的大事，止息了自己对 神或将弃绝他百姓的恐惧；这事他先前曾徒然试图借此自慰（诗77:5-6），如今他再试一次，并在第二次试中，发现并非徒然。纵然初时不见功效，坚忍地使用那为坚固信心而设的正当方法，仍是好的：「我要记念……我也要记念」 神古时为他百姓所行的，直到我能从此推断现今幽暗安排的美好结局（诗77:11-12）。请注意：1. 主为他百姓所行的作为，向来是奇妙的作为。2. 这些作为为我们记下来了，好叫我们记念。3. 我们要从记念中得益，就必须默想这些作为，在心思中细细揣摩，并要谈论这些作为，好叫我们自己和别人都更明白。4. 适当地记念 神的作为，是对不信他的应许与良善的强有力解药；因为他是 神，并不改变。他既起首，就必完工，并搬出那块「房角石」。
总括而言，有两件事大大使他满足：
一、「 神的道在圣所中」（诗77:13）。也有人译作「在圣洁中」。当我们对自己对 神护理所作的某些具体解释所生的具体难处不能解答时，我们在总体上可以确知： 神在他一切作为中都是圣洁的，那些作为都配得过他自己，与他本性的永远纯洁与正直到处相符。他在一切所行的事上都有圣洁的目的，并要在他护理的每一安排中得着尊为圣。他的道照着他的应许——就是他在他的圣洁中所说、并在圣所中显明的应许。他所作的，照着他所说的，并可以借他所言的解释；从他所言的，我们容易推断他不会永远弃绝他的百姓。 神的道是为着圣所，为着圣所的益处；他一切所行的，都是为着他教会的益处而设的。
二、「 神的道在海中」。 神在他一切所行的事上虽是圣洁、公义、良善的，我们却不能说明他行事的原因，也不能对他的旨意作出确实的判断：「他的路在大水中，他的脚踪无人知道」（诗77:19）。 神的道如深水不能测透（诗36:6），如船在海中的路不能追踪（箴30:18-19）。 神的行事总是当顺服，却不能常常说明。他列举了几件具体的事，追溯到犹太教会婴孩时期，并由此推论：1. 没有别的 神堪与以色列的 神相比（诗77:13）：「谁像你这般伟大的 神呢？」让我们先将 神为他百姓所行的大事归荣耀给他，并在此承认他无可比拟地超越一切；然后我们便可从他所行的得着安慰，并以之自勉。2. 他是全能的 神（诗77:14）：「你是那惟独行奇事的 神」，超越一切受造之物的能力；「你在列邦中」，可见地、无可辩驳地，「彰显了你的能力」。 神为他教会所行的，一直是他全能的明证，因为他在其中露出了他永远的膀臂。（1） 神领以色列出埃及（诗77:15）。这是他向他们施怜悯的开端，每年要在他们中间借逾越节记念：「你曾用你的膀臂」——在许多奇事中伸展出来的——「救赎了你的百姓」脱离埃及人的手。他们虽是借大能得释放，却被称为救赎，仿佛是借代价作成的，因为这是那大救赎的预表——在时候满足，那救赎要借代价和大能成全。如此得赎的人在此不仅称为「雅各的子孙」——应许是向他们发的——也称为约瑟的子孙，因为约瑟对这应许的成全有最坚定活泼的信心；他临终之时，提到了以色列子孙出埃及的事，并为自己的骸骨留下遗命。（2）他在他们面前分了红海（诗77:16）：「诸水」让路，顷刻间在那拥挤之中开了一条通道，仿佛它们看见了 神亲自在以色列军兵的前头，因惧怕他而退避。不仅水的表面，「深渊也都战抖」，向左右分开，顺服他发命之言。（3）他毁灭了埃及人（诗77:17）：「云中倒出水来」降在他们身上，而那如伞盖罩在以色列营上的火柱，却使营免受雨淋；在那雨中，如洪水之时一样，穹苍之上的水与穹苍之下的水合力毁灭叛徒。那时「天空发出响声；你的箭也射出」，这在诗77:18有所解释：「你的雷声在旋风中」被听见——那就是天空所发的响声；「闪电照亮世界」——那就是射出的箭，借这些，埃及的军兵溃乱，附近海岸的「大地战抖震动」。如此， 神的道在海中，为毁灭他的仇敌，正如为拯救他的百姓；然而当水归回原位之时，「他的脚踪无人知道」（诗77:19）；那地方没有立下记号，正如后来在约但河中立了记号一样（书4:9）。在以色列过红海的记载中，我们没有读到有雷轰、闪电、地震；然而或许确有，约瑟夫说在那场合确有 神可畏的这些彰显。但这也可指赐律法之时在西奈山的雷轰、闪电、地震。（4）他将他的百姓以色列置于自己的引导和保护之下（诗77:20）：「你引导你的百姓如同羊群一般」。他们既软弱无助，又易于如羊群般走迷，并暴露在猛兽之前， 神便以牧人一切所有的细心与温柔行在他们前头，使他们不至失脚。云柱火柱引导他们；然而此处没有提到这事，倒提到了摩西和亚伦的服事—— 神借他们的手引导他们；他们没有 神便不能作这事， 神却是与他们同在、借他们作的。摩西是他们的治理者，亚伦是他们的大祭司；他们是向导、是监督、是以色列的官长， 神借他们引导以色列。治理与事奉这两项伟大典章的正当而蒙福的施行，对任何百姓而言，虽不如云柱火柱那样大的神迹，却是与云柱火柱对旷野中的以色列一样大的怜悯。
本诗结尾突兀，并未将 神大能的这些古时实例应用在教会现今的患难上，如人本来可能期望的。但这位敬虔人一开始默想这些事，便发现自己已达到目的；他「一」进入这事，便已得着亮光与喜乐（诗119:130）；他的恐惧忽然奇妙地消散，以致他无需再进深；他「走去，吃了」，「面不再带愁容了」，如同哈拿一样（撒上1:18）。
英文原文
Acknowledgments of the Divine Majesty, of God's Wonders Wrought for Israel
¹¹ I will remember the works of the LORD: surely I will remember thy wonders of old.
¹² I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings.
¹³ Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary: who is so great a God as our God?
¹⁴ Thou art the God that doest wonders: thou hast declared thy strength among the people.
¹⁵ Thou hast with thine arm redeemed thy people, the sons of Jacob and Joseph. Selah.
¹⁶ The waters saw thee, O God, the waters saw thee; they were afraid: the depths also were troubled.
¹⁷ The clouds poured out water: the skies sent out a sound: thine arrows also went abroad.
¹⁸ The voice of thy thunder was in the heaven: the lightnings lightened the world: the earth trembled and shook.
¹⁹ Thy way is in the sea, and thy path in the great waters, and thy footsteps are not known.
²⁰ Thou leddest thy people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
The psalmist here recovers himself out of the great distress and plague he was in, and silences his own fears of God's casting off his people by the remembrance of the great things he had done for them formerly, which though he had in vain tried to quiet himself with (Ps 77:5,6) yet he tried again, and, upon this second trial, found it not in vain. It is good to persevere in the proper means for the strengthening of faith, though they do not prove effectual at first: "I will remember, surely I will, what God has done for his people of old, till I can thence infer a happy issue of the present dark dispensation," Ps 77:11,12. Note, 1. The works of the Lord, for his people, have been wondrous works. 2. They are recorded for us, that they may be remembered by us. 3. That we may have benefit by the remembrance of them we must meditate upon them, and dwell upon them in our thoughts, and must talk of them, that we may inform ourselves and others further concerning them. 4. The due remembrance of the works of God will be a powerful antidote against distrust of his promise and goodness; for he is God and changes not. If he begin, he will finish his work and bring forth the top-stone.
Two things, in general, satisfied him very much:
I. That God's way is in the sanctuary, Ps 77:13. It is in holiness, so some. When we cannot solve the particular difficulties that may arise in our constructions of the divine providence, this we are sure of, in general, that God is holy in all his works, that they are all worthy of himself and consonant to the eternal purity and rectitude of his nature. He has holy ends in all he does, and will be sanctified in every dispensation of his providence. His way is according to his promise, which he has spoken in his holiness and made known in the sanctuary. What he has done is according to what he has said and may be interpreted by it; and from what he has said we may easily gather that he will not cast off his people for ever. God's way is for the sanctuary, and for the benefit of it. All he does is intended for the good of his church.
II. That God's way is in the sea. Though God is holy, just, and good, in all he does, yet we cannot give an account of the reasons of his proceedings, nor make any certain judgment of his designs: His path is in the great waters and his footsteps are not known, Ps 77:19. God's ways are like the deep waters which cannot be fathomed (Ps 36:6), like the way of a ship in the sea, which cannot be tracked, Pr 30:18,19. God's proceedings are always to be acquiesced in, but cannot always be accounted for. He specifies some particulars, for which he goes as far back as the infancy of the Jewish church, and from which he gathers, 1. That there is no God to be compared with the God of Israel (Ps 77:13): Who is so great a God as our God? Let us first give to God the glory of the great things he has done for his people, and acknowledge him, therein, great above all comparison; and then we may take to ourselves the comfort of what he has done and encourage ourselves with it. 2. That he is a God of almighty power (Ps 77:14): "Thou art the God that alone doest wonders, above the power of any creature; thou hast visibly, and beyond any contradiction, declared thy strength among the people." What God has done for his church has been a standing declaration of his almighty power, for therein he has made bare his everlasting arm. (1.) God brought Israel out of Egypt, Ps 77:15. This was the beginning of mercy to them, and was yearly to be commemorated among them in the passover: "Thou hast with thy arm, stretched out in so many miracles, redeemed thy people out of the hand of the Egyptians." Though they were delivered by power, yet they are said to be redeemed, as if it had been done by price, because it was typical of the great redemption, which was to be wrought out, in the fulness of time, both by price and power. Those that were redeemed are here called not only the sons of Jacob, to whom the promise was made, but of Joseph also, who had a most firm and lively belief of the performance of it; for, when he was dying, he made mention of the departing of the children of Israel out of Egypt, and gave commandment concerning his bones. (2.) He divided the Red Sea before them (Ps 77:16): The waters gave way, and a lane was made through that crowd instantly, as if they had seen God himself at the head of the armies of Israel, and had retired for fear of him. Not only the surface of the waters, but the depths, were troubled, and opened to the right and to the left, in obedience to his word of command. (3.) He destroyed the Egyptians (Ps 77:17): The clouds poured out water upon them, while the pillar of fire, like an umbrella over the camp of Israel, sheltered it from the shower, in which, as in the deluge, the waters that were above the firmament concurred with those that were beneath the firmament to destroy the rebels. Then the skies sent out a sound; thy arrows also went abroad, which is explained (Ps 77:18): The voice of thy thunder was heard in the heaven (that was the sound which the skies sent forth); the lightnings lightened the world—those were the arrows which went abroad, by which the host of the Egyptians was discomfited, with so much terror that the earth of the adjacent coast trembled and shook. Thus God's way was in the sea, for the destruction of his enemies, as well as for the salvation of his people; and yet when the waters returned to their place his footsteps were not known (Ps 77:19); there was no mark set upon the place, as there was, afterwards, in Jordan, Jos 4:9. We do not read in the story of Israel's passing through the Red Sea that there were thunders and lightning, and an earthquake; yet there might be, and Josephus says there were, such displays of the divine terror upon that occasion. But it may refer to the thunders, lightnings, and earth quakes, that were at Mount Sinai when the law was given. (4.) He took his people Israel under his own guidance and protection (Ps 77:20): Thou leddest thy people like a flock. They being weak and helpless, and apt to wander like a flock of sheep, and lying exposed to the beasts of prey, God went before them with all the care and tenderness of a shepherd, that they might not fail. The pillar of cloud and fire led them; yet that is not here taken notice of, but the agency of Moses and Aaron, by whose hand God led them; they could not do it without God, but God did it with and by them. Moses was their governor, Aaron their high priest; they were guides, overseers, and rulers to Israel, and by them God led them. The right and happy administration of the two great ordinances of magistracy and ministry is, though not so great a miracle, yet as great a mercy to any people as the pillar of cloud and fire was to Israel in the wilderness.
The psalm concludes abruptly, and does not apply those ancient instances of God's power to the present distresses of the church, as one might have expected. But as soon as the good man began to meditate on these things he found he had gained his point; his very entrance upon this matter gave him light and joy (Ps 119:130); his fears suddenly and strangely vanished, so that he needed to go no further; he went his way, and did eat, and his countenance was no more sad, like Hannah, 1Sa 1:18.
本篇照许多诗篇的格局,以忧苦的抱怨开始,却以可慰的勉励结束。那些抱怨似为个人的苦情,那些勉励则关乎教会的公众利益,故本诗究竟是为个人还是为公众而作,不得而知。若是他所呻吟的是私人的患难,这就教导我们:神为他教会整体所行的事,可用来作个别信徒的安慰;若是他在此哀叹的是某项公众的灾祸,他如此切身地论及它——如同论及自己的某项特别苦难——便表明我们当如何将神教会的利益贴近己心、视如己事。一位拉比说:本篇是用被掳者的口吻说的;故有人以为它是被囚于巴比伦之时所作。本篇结构如下:一、诗人在此抱怨他的患难在他心灵上所留下的深刻印痕,以及他所受的、绝望得解救的试探(诗77:1-10);二、他借记念神从前为他百姓所发的救助之显现(他举出几样实例),勉励自己终久必得好结局(诗77:11-20)。我们唱这首诗时,当为我们一切对神、对神护理与应许的有罪不信自取羞愧,并以感恩地记念他已往为我们所行的事、并愉快地倚靠他未来之事,将他的大能与良善之荣耀归给他。