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This psalm is technically an individual lament, but it moves from lament (1–9) to emotional reflection (10–12) to joyfully celebrating the greatness of the God of Israel (13–20). At the heart of this psalm is a man in a great trial questioning what God’s chastisement feels like—abandonment. Jesus understands this sensation during His last three hours on the cross more than any other human. This psalmist it brutally honest, we don’t sense God’s gracious closeness during our chastisements until we repent. Sin keeps us from God and God from us. This is how the Jews felt during the locust plaque, the Assyrian deportation of Samaria, and during the Babylonian siege and exile. Not everyone has experienced this depth of pain, so some may be shocked by faith’s struggle in prayer. VanGemeren outlines it as follows:
A. Cry for Help (vs. 1–2)
B. Remembrance of God in Hymns of the Night (vs. 3–6)
C. Questions (vs. 7–9)
B`. Remembrance of God’s Mighty Deeds (vs. 10–12)
A`. Confidence in God’s Help (vs. 13–20)
I. A cry for help during a time of distress (vs. 1–3)
A. He is calling to God in prayer, but does not see the answer
B. This prayer is persistent and fervent, day and night
C. When the suffering one's thoughts turn to the sovereign God who could stop his pain, he becomes even more upset
II. Memories and fears makes the nighttime painful (vs. 4–6)
A. He cannot sleep, talk, or even pray clearly in his current distress
B. His mind is going wide-open as he remembers how good things once were
III. Questions for God during a time of chastisement (vs. 7–9)
A. How long will God’s rejection continue? (national idolatry, unrepentance)
B. Has Israel blown it, so that she can never receive God’s favor again? (No)
C. Has God’s covenant love for Israel ended now? (No)
D. Has God ended His promises to Israel or withdrawn them because of their rebellion and sin? (No)
E. Has the omniscient and gracious One forgotten how to be himself? (No)
F. Has God’s wrath against sin forever ended His love and mercy for His people? (No)
IV. Memories and faith based on the Word of God and His faithfulness (vs. 10–12)
A. The psalmist may be appealing to the years of blessing at the right hand of God Most High to prop up his shaky faith
B. Or he could be saying, this my affliction, has been sent to me by God, thus, I must bear it, even though I desire instant relief
C. Or he could be saying, God at one time was blessing us, but now He is bringing on us the curse
D. When we are distant from God, who moved? Who sinned? Who delayed repentance?
E. He redirects his thoughts from the current trial to the past mighty acts of God
F. Creation, Flood, Tower of Babel, selection of Abraham, preservation of the Jews, the redemption of the Jews
G. There is no God like Yahveh, none of the false gods measure up, even the legends of the false gods show that they are evil rather than holy, like the God of the Bible
V. The Holy God of Israel who redeemed her from Egypt is worthy of our trust (vs. 13–15)
A. God has given the Jews signs, and shown His power throughout the earth
B. The song in Exodus 15 is coming out in the last two sections
C. The Jews redemption from Egypt is grounds for future faith during trials
D. Jacob and Joseph are special references to the people in slavery
E. God’s power makes the difference
VI. The Holy God of Israel shows up in power over man and nature (vs. 16–20)
A. The red sea was split open by God’s power
B. The path that delivered the Jews drowned the Egyptians
C. The whirlwind may have a double meaning, the chariot wheels, and/or nature are all under God’s sovereignty
D. The language of a special appearance of God, a theophany
E. The Israelites were led to safety by Moses and Aaron
F. God triumphed over all the false gods of Egypt
H. The Word of God brings hope, truth, light, and strengthens faith
Lessons to live by:
• Why does God allow the pre-written consequence of sin to happen to those who belong to Him? He must do so to be true to His nature. The better question is, “Why do we go ahead and sin when God has warned us of the severe consequences of rebellion and sin?”
• God does not lack the power to deliver. His goals and His timing are not ours, so we struggle watching His plan unfold
• Nature and History are under God’s control
• Anger at God when we sin is not the right response—repentance, returning, restoration is God’s call to us. A holy God will not ignore our sin
• Can God set aside His promises? No, He will always be faithful. He has a future place for ethnic Israel. The Jews are still in the plan of God
• We as the new covenant people of God will not be cast off either, even though we too must go through many trials and afflictions
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