Comfort in the Night
Scripture
For the director of music. For Jeduthun. Of Asaph. A psalm.
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.
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)
Reflection
Do persistent thoughts ever keep you lying awake at night? Maybe you struggle thinking about what has to be accomplished tomorrow. Perhaps you regret some decisions you’ve made throughout the day. No doubt we all can relate to these all-too-familiar thoughts at one time or another.
The busy loops of unresolved thoughts during the night can be overwhelming, as illustrated in Psalm 77. This psalm was written by Asaph, one of the psalmists and temple musicians, who painted a picture of one of his sleepless nights. He called out to God in verses 4–7, “You kept my eyes from closing; I was too troubled to speak. I thought about the former days, the years of long ago; I remembered my songs in the night. My heart mused and my spirit inquired: ‘Will the Lord reject forever? Will he never show his favor again?’”
Asaph’s sleepless night reminds me of a time when I had a similar experience with God. When I was in high school, my father passed away, and I remember lying in my bed at night, feeling overwhelmed. As Asaph described in his Psalm, I also was too troubled to speak and I, too, thought about the days gone by. Over and over, I asked God, “Why did this have to happen?”
In my grief counseling sessions, I described these nights to my counselor, and he gave me a perspective I’ll never forget. He showed me that the huge grief I felt was good, because it showed how much I loved my father. While supporting me through the grieving process, he encouraged me to remember the wonderful memories I had with my father before I went to bed. When I did, the Lord gave me comfort, surrounding me and protecting me through the night.
Asaph experienced this shift in perspective as he declared in verses 10–11, “Then I thought, ‘To this I will appeal: the years when the Most High stretched out his right hand. I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.’” There was a pivotal transformation that took place when Asaph remembered all that God had done in the past.
As we reflect on Psalm 77 during our Lenten journey together, let us take time to think about the Lord’s past miracles and provisions. In remembering his mighty acts, may we always cling to hope in our Father who knows our suffering and comforts us through the night, who indeed, has done miraculous things for us.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, you are the God of all comfort, and you hear our every cry in the night. We look to you to surround us with your loving protection when challenges overwhelm us. Help us to remember your miracles from long ago and hold on to your promises that surround us with your peace through the night. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
2024 Lenten Journey
Adrian Brown