Psalm 77 3

Psalm 77:3 kjv

I remembered God, and was troubled: I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Selah.

Psalm 77:3 nkjv

I remembered God, and was troubled; I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Selah

Psalm 77:3 niv

I remembered you, God, and I groaned; I meditated, and my spirit grew faint.

Psalm 77:3 esv

When I remember God, I moan; when I meditate, my spirit faints. Selah

Psalm 77:3 nlt

I think of God, and I moan,
overwhelmed with longing for his help. Interlude

Psalm 77 verses

Psalm 77 3 Meaning

Psalm 77:3 vividly portrays a soul in deep anguish and spiritual distress. The psalmist expresses an inverse experience to what might be expected: remembering God, rather than bringing comfort, exacerbates his internal turmoil, leading him to groan and complain, as his very spirit is overwhelmed by despair. This verse establishes the profound spiritual and emotional crisis that forms the prelude to the psalmist's journey towards remembering God's past deeds and finding solace.

Psalm 77 3 Context

Psalm 77, an Asaph psalm, opens with a personal cry of distress from the psalmist to God (v. 1-6). The focus shifts to deep, existential questions about God's character and actions, particularly His covenant faithfulness (v. 7-9). Verse 3 serves as a pivotal point, establishing the depth of the psalmist's despair and bewilderment that the very thought of God amplifies his suffering rather than alleviating it. This acute anguish propels him to wrestle with divine apparent inaction. The latter part of the psalm (v. 10-20) then moves from personal lament to remembering God's wondrous deeds in Israel's history, especially the Exodus, thus finding hope and renewed trust. Historically, the Psalms of Asaph often wrestle with the prosperity of the wicked or national calamity, prompting profound theological questioning about God's justice and sovereignty, though Psalm 77 focuses on God's past deliverance as a foundation for present hope.

Psalm 77 3 Word analysis

• I remembered God (זָכַר אֱלֹהִים, zakhar Elohim):
• זָכַר (zakhar): More than simple intellectual recall; it signifies bringing to mind with the intent to consider, act upon, or cause something to be remembered. Here, paradoxically, recalling God's attributes or past actions, or simply His very being, deepens the psalmist's trouble rather than providing solace. This unexpected reaction highlights a profound disconnect between the psalmist's expectations of God's immediate comfort and his current reality.
• אֱלֹהִים (Elohim): The general Hebrew word for God, often used to refer to God as the Creator, the Supreme Being, or a judge. Its usage here, rather than the more intimate YHWH, might suggest a more distant or generalized perception of God by the psalmist in his distress, perhaps leading to questions about God's general providence rather than His specific covenant promises.
• and was troubled (וָאֶהֱמָיָה, va'ehemâyâh):
• הָמָה (hamah): This verb describes a deep, internal turmoil or agitation. It can mean to "groan," "moan," "be disturbed," "be in turmoil," "roar," or "murmur." In this context, it speaks to an inward churning and disquiet that the psalmist experienced upon remembering God, indicating a conflict between what he knew or hoped God to be, and his current experience.
• I complained (וָאֶשִׂיחָה, va'esîychâh):
• שִׂיחַ (siakh): This verb means to "meditate," "muse," "commune," "complain," or "lament." Here, it points to an intense pouring out of thoughts, possibly a structured complaint or an anguished musing to himself or God. It is not necessarily frivolous complaining, but an articulate, though anguished, voicing of deep inner struggles. This active complaining is part of the wrestling with God.
• and my spirit was overwhelmed (וַתִּתְעַטֵּף רוּחִי, vattit'attef ruachiy):
• עָטַף (`ataf): To "faint," "grow weak," or "be overcome," literally "to be covered over" or "shrouded." It conveys a sense of being completely overcome by distress, as if one's very being is enveloped in gloom or weakness. The psalmist felt his strength and hope completely drained from him.
• רוּחִי (ruachiy): My "spirit" or "innermost being." Refers to the animating force or breath, but often describes the mind, will, and emotions – the core of a person's vitality and consciousness. For his spirit to be "overwhelmed" indicates that his distress permeated the deepest parts of his being.
• Selah (סֶלָה, Selah):
• A Hebrew term of uncertain meaning, often understood as a musical or liturgical directive for a pause or interlude, emphasizing contemplation of the preceding verse. In Psalm 77:3, it draws attention to the profound and unsettling reality of remembering God only to be further troubled, urging the reader to ponder the depths of the psalmist's spiritual agony. It signals a moment of intense reflection on this paradoxical human experience.

• Words-Group analysis: "I remembered God, and was troubled": This phrase highlights a counter-intuitive spiritual state. For a person of faith, remembering God typically brings comfort, peace, or strength. However, the psalmist's circumstances or internal state are so dire that God's remembrance evokes deep turmoil, perhaps because God’s seeming absence or perceived inactivity intensified his suffering, or because his theological understanding was being challenged by his emotional reality. This introduces the profound internal conflict driving the psalm.
• Words-Group analysis: "I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed": This sequence illustrates the result of the psalmist's distress. His "complaining" (or lamenting/meditating aloud in anguish) is an outlet for the unbearable internal pressure. This outward expression correlates with his "spirit" (his inner core, his vitality) being utterly "overwhelmed" or "faint." It describes a soul at its breaking point, completely enveloped by sorrow and despair.

Psalm 77 3 Bonus section

• Psalm 77:3 challenges the simplistic notion that faith always leads to immediate peace or resolution of distress. It legitimizes the experience of inner conflict and theological wrestling even among those who genuinely seek God.
• The psalmist's experience here serves as an important biblical example of how the remembrance of God, in moments of extreme personal suffering, can initially trigger deeper anguish if one's circumstances contradict their understanding of God's immediate intervention or benevolent care. This tension often precedes a deeper exploration of God's character and past faithfulness, as is evident later in the psalm.
• This verse, along with other laments, validates the human right to express genuine, raw emotions and even accusations before God, knowing that He is vast enough to receive such complaints and patient enough to walk through the journey of doubt and questioning with His children.

Psalm 77 3 Commentary

Psalm 77:3 provides an exceptionally raw and honest portrayal of faith grappling with suffering. Unlike typical experiences where the thought of God brings comfort, here, God’s remembrance amplifies the psalmist’s distress, leading to an almost unbearable inner turmoil and outward lament. This verse reveals the reality that true faith does not always preclude profound emotional and spiritual struggles; sometimes, the very confrontation with God’s perceived silence or inaction in the face of intense pain can deepen anguish. The "Selah" underscores the gravity of this paradoxical and critical emotional state, inviting the reader to reflect deeply on this initial, distressing phase of the psalmist’s journey toward seeking and understanding God amidst trial. It reminds us that believers can and do experience profound lament and confusion, and that honest complaint to God is a legitimate expression of their inner experience.