¹I poured out my complaint to you, God.

I lifted up my voice, shouting out for your help.

²When I was in deep distress, in my day of trouble,

I reached out for you with hands stretched out to heaven.

Over and over I kept looking for you, God,

but your comforting grace was nowhere to be found.

³As I thought of you I moaned, “God, where are you?”[#77:3 Or “When I am in heaviness [depressed], I will think upon God.”]

I’m overwhelmed with despair as I wait for your help to arrive.

⁴I can’t get a wink of sleep until you come and comfort me.

Now I’m too burdened to even pray!

⁵My mind wandered, thinking of days gone by—

the years long since passed.

⁶Then I remembered the worship songs I used to sing

in the night seasons,

and my heart began to fill again with thoughts of you.

So my spirit went out once more in search of you.

⁷Would you really walk off and leave me forever, my Lord God?

Won’t you show me your kind favor, delighting in me again?

⁸Has your well of sweet mercy dried up?

Will your promises never come true?

⁹Have you somehow forgotten to show me love?

Are you so angry that you’ve closed

your heart of compassion toward me?

¹⁰Lord, what wounds me most is that it’s somehow my fault that

you’ve changed your heart toward me

and I no longer see the years of the Mighty One

or your right hand of power.

¹¹Yet I could never forget all your miracles, my God,

as I remember all your wonders of old.

¹²I ponder all you’ve done, Lord, musing on all your miracles.

¹³It’s here in your presence, in your sanctuary,

where I learn more of your ways,

for holiness is revealed in everything you do.

Lord, you’re the one and only, the great and glorious God!

¹⁴Your display of wonders, miracles, and power

makes the nations acknowledge you.

¹⁵By your glory-bursts you’ve rescued us over and over.

Just ask the sons of Jacob or

the sons of Joseph, and they will tell you!

And all of us, your beloved ones, know that it’s true!

¹⁶When the many waters of the Red Sea took one look at you,[#77:16 Although the Red Sea is not mentioned in the verse, it is implied in the context.]

they were afraid and ran away to hide—

trembling to its depths!

¹⁷Storm clouds filled with water high in the skies;

cloudbursts and thunderclaps announced your approach.

Lightning-flashes lit up the landscape.

¹⁸Rolling whirlwinds exploded with sonic booms of thunder,

rumbling as the skies shouted out your story

with light and sound and wind.

Everything on earth shook and trembled as you drew near.

¹⁹Your steps formed a highway through the seas

with footprints on a pathway no one even knew was there.

²⁰You led your people forward by your loving hand,

blessed by the leadership of Moses and Aaron.