Psalm 77: Faith in the Living-Water

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Like many of King David’s Psalms, we are given a peek into David’s spiritual process; his desire to walk in the path of awakening to G-d’s power within him. David calls out to G-d in days of trouble, when darkness surrounds him. Yet David does not give in to his despair, instead he finds strength in meditating on the Divine power that G-d wraps him in, and the power he holds in the world. 

In this Psalm, the theme of water, abyss, and G-d as Living-waters are explored as well. Describing the fluidity of G-d’s presence, all while He remains hidden, unseen, unfathomable. Regardless, through G-d’s actions in the world, we can remember the truth of His existence. It is all around us, in the deeds of G-d from the days of creation, to His leading us as sheep in the hands of Moses and Aaron, and to His listening to David’s cry. 

King David reveals yet again, that when we feel like we are pulled down by the challenges of our life, speak up to G-d; even if You do not find His answer, trust that He is there, and find strength in the stories of our people’s past. 

לַמְנַצֵּ֥חַ עַֽל־ידיתון [יְדוּת֗וּן] לְאָסָ֥ף מִזְמֽוֹר׃

For the conductor,

for opening the path of awakening,

a song for Asaph

קוֹלִ֣י אֶל־אֱלֹקים וְאֶצְעָ֑קָה קוֹלִ֥י אֶל־אֱ֝לֹקים וְהַאֲזִ֥ין אֵלָֽי׃

My voice is directed to G-d -- and I will cry out,

My voice is directed to G-d -- and listen to me.

בְּי֥וֹם צָרָתִי֮ אֲדֹנָ֪י דָּ֫רָ֥שְׁתִּי יָדִ֤י ׀ לַ֣יְלָה נִ֭גְּרָה וְלֹ֣א תָפ֑וּג מֵאֲנָ֖ה הִנָּחֵ֣ם נַפְשִֽׁי׃

In the day of my trouble, my Lord, I demanded my hand,

The sensation of night was flowing over me and would not dissipate,

My soul refused to be comforted.

אֶזְכְּרָ֣ה אֱלֹקים וְאֶֽהֱמָיָ֑ה אָשִׂ֓יחָה ׀ וְתִתְעַטֵּ֖ף רוּחִ֣י סֶֽלָה׃

I remembered G-d, and my meditative-speech stormed,

And my soul was wrapped in Your completeness. 

אָ֭חַזְתָּ שְׁמֻר֣וֹת עֵינָ֑י נִ֝פְעַ֗מְתִּי וְלֹ֣א אֲדַבֵּֽר׃

You held my watchful eyes,

I was flabbergasted and could not speak.

חִשַּׁ֣בְתִּי יָמִ֣ים מִקֶּ֑דֶם שְׁ֝נ֗וֹת עוֹלָמִֽים׃

I meditated on the days, the existence of the worlds

אֶֽזְכְּרָ֥ה נְגִינָתִ֗י בַּ֫לָּ֥יְלָה עִם־לְבָבִ֥י אָשִׂ֑יחָה וַיְחַפֵּ֥שׂ רוּחִֽי׃

I remembered my tune at night, 

with my heart I meditate in conversation,

and search for my Wind.

הַֽ֭לְעוֹלָמִים יִזְנַ֥ח ׀ אֲדֹנָ֑י וְלֹֽא־יֹסִ֖יף לִרְצ֣וֹת עֽוֹד׃

For will forever my Lord nullify and not add to His desires?

הֶאָפֵ֣ס לָנֶ֣צַח חַסְדּ֑וֹ גָּ֥מַר אֹ֝֗מֶר לְדֹ֣ר וָדֹֽר׃

Is there nothing to the eternity of His loving-kindness;

Did He end by saying from generation to generation?

הֲשָׁכַ֣ח חַנּ֣וֹת אֵ֑ל אִם־קָפַ֥ץ בְּ֝אַ֗ף רַחֲמָ֥יו סֶֽלָה׃

Has the station of G-d been forgotten, 

if even in His clenching there is all-encompassing lovingkindness?  

וָ֭אֹמַר חַלּ֣וֹתִי הִ֑יא שְׁ֝נ֗וֹת יְמִ֣ין עֶלְיֽוֹן׃

And I said it was due to my impediment

that there was a shift in the right hand of the Divine.

אזכיר [אֶזְכּ֥וֹר] מַֽעַלְלֵי־יָ֑הּ כִּֽי־אֶזְכְּרָ֖ה מִקֶּ֣דֶם פִּלְאֶֽךָ׃

I will remind myself Divine-deeds,

For I will remember the days of old, prior to Your wonders.

וְהָגִ֥יתִי בְכָל־פָּעֳלֶ֑ךָ וּֽבַעֲלִ֖ילוֹתֶ֣יךָ אָשִֽׂיחָה׃

For I meditated on all Your actions, 

And Your feats will be my meditative-speech.

אֱ֭לֹקים בַּקֹּ֣דֶשׁ דַּרְכֶּ֑ךָ מִי־אֵ֥ל גָּ֝ד֗וֹל כֵּֽאלֹקים׃

G-d, in the holiness of Your path, who is for You as grand as G-d?

אַתָּ֣ה הָ֭אֵל עֹ֣שֵׂה פֶ֑לֶא הוֹדַ֖עְתָּ בָעַמִּ֣ים עֻזֶּֽךָ׃

You are the Lord making wonders, 

announcing to foreign nations Your strength.

גָּאַ֣לְתָּ בִּזְר֣וֹעַ עַמֶּ֑ךָ בְּנֵי־יַעֲקֹ֖ב וְיוֹסֵ֣ף סֶֽלָה׃

With Your arm You redeemed Your people,

Sons of Jacob, and the whole tribe of Joseph.

רָ֘א֤וּךָ מַּ֨יִם ׀ אֱ‍ֽלֹקים רָא֣וּךָ מַּ֣יִם יָחִ֑ילוּ אַ֝֗ף יִרְגְּז֥וּ תְהֹמֽוֹת׃

They have seen Your Living-waters,

They have seen waters that swell and even provoke abysses.

זֹ֤רְמוּ מַ֨יִם ׀ עָב֗וֹת ק֭וֹל נָתְנ֣וּ שְׁחָקִ֑ים אַף־חֲ֝צָצֶ֗יךָ יִתְהַלָּֽכוּ׃

Thick water streamed down, 

The heavens gave their voice,

Even Your partitions are in a walking motion.

ק֤וֹל רַעַמְךָ֨ ׀ בַּגַּלְגַּ֗ל הֵאִ֣ירוּ בְרָקִ֣ים תֵּבֵ֑ל רָגְזָ֖ה וַתִּרְעַ֣שׁ הָאָֽרֶץ׃

The sound of Your thunder rumbles in circular movement, 

Lightning lit up the raging universe,

And the land was in an uproar.

בַּיָּ֤ם דַּרְכֶּ֗ךָ ושביליך [וּֽ֭שְׁבִֽילְךָ] בְּמַ֣יִם רַבִּ֑ים וְ֝עִקְּבוֹתֶ֗יךָ לֹ֣א נֹדָֽעוּ׃

In the seas are Your ways,

and Your paths are in deep waters,

And Your tracks will not be known

נָחִ֣יתָ כַצֹּ֣אן עַמֶּ֑ךָ בְּֽיַד־מֹשֶׁ֥ה וְאַהֲרֹֽן׃

You have led Your people like a herd of sheep

in the hands of Moses and Aaron.