Asaph's Psalm 77: Power, Mystery

Even if verses 11 through 15 talk about might and wonder and holiness, something feels personal. This is a God who is known, who has made himself known, and not just in a general way but to his people (v 14).  He has not only intervened but intervened on their behalf (v 15). And perhaps we could say that this is exactly where Asaph's frustration lies; it's this personal God who seems absent at the moment.

And so with another pause and a deep breath, he switches gears yet again. And all of a sudden this is a big and powerful God, mysterious and transcendent, a God to be revered.

When the waters saw you, O God,
    when the waters saw you, they were afraid;
    indeed, the deep trembled.
The clouds poured out water;
    the skies gave forth thunder;
    your arrows flashed on every side.
The crash of your thunder was in the whirlwind;
    your lightnings lighted up the world;
    the earth trembled and shook.

It's not something I think about often, but one of my biggest fears is being stranded in the middle of an ocean. You know those crazy terrible movies where people are treading water holding on to the last floating plank after the ship sank, or stuck huddled in a flimsy raft after the plane went down? To be small and alone in the incomprehensible vastness of an ocean, and to be a poor swimmer on top of it, that's a nightmare.

Or think of how helpless we are in the wake of recent tornadoes or hurricanes or earthquakes. We humans manage ourselves pretty well in the day to day, but when it comes to the force of a lot of water or a lot of wind or the solid ground beneath us -- the surest thing we know -- all of a sudden starting to shake, we are utterly defenseless.

I guess I'm not so crazy for fearing the ocean. It is right to fear the power of nature. And it's in these terms that Asaph describes this God. The force of nature, the most uncontrollably powerful thing we know on this earth, is afraid of this God, trembling before him.

Asaph is reminding himself just who exactly he's dealing with. If this is the powerful, mysterious, awe-inspiring God we're complaining to, surely there are a few details that surpass us, a few things we aren't understanding.

This is God asking Job, "Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?"

Another note for lament: Remember who you are and who you're dealing with. That shouldn't keep you from lamenting, but instead will keep you running to God and not away from him, trusting him rather than yourself.