Show Bible Commentary For A Bible Verse

Click here to show/hide instructions.

Selected Verse: Psalms 77:2 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Ps 77:2	Strong Concordance	In the day [03117] of my trouble [06869] I sought [01875] the Lord [0136]: my sore [03027] ran [05064] in the night [03915], and ceased [06313] not: my soul [05315] refused [03985] to be comforted [05162].
	King James	In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord: my sore ran in the night, and ceased not: my soul refused to be comforted.

Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse

Open All | Close All Open All | Close All

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
his importunacy. my sore ran . . . night--literally, "my hand was spread," or, "stretched out" (compare Psa 44:20). ceased not--literally, "grew not numb," or, "feeble" (Gen 45:26; Psa 38:8). my soul . . . comforted--(compare Gen 37:35; Jer 31:15).

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

his importunacy.

my sore ran . . . night--literally, "my hand was spread," or, "stretched out" (compare Psa 44:20).

ceased not--literally, "grew not numb," or, "feeble" (Gen 45:26; Psa 38:8).

my soul . . . comforted--(compare Gen 37:35; Jer 31:15).

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord - Compare the notes at Psa 50:15. This trouble may have been either mental or bodily; that is, it may have arisen from some form of disease, or it may have been that which sprang from difficulties in regard to the divine character, government, and dealings. That it "assumed" the latter form, even if it had its beginning in the former, is apparent from the following verses. Whether it was connected with any form of bodily disease must be determined by the proper interpretation of the next clause in this verse. My sore ran in the night - Margin, "My hand." It is evident that our translators sup. posed that there was some bodily disease - some running sore - which was the cause of his trouble. Hence, they so rendered the Hebrew word. But it is now generally agreed that this is without authority. The Hebrew word is "hand" - יד yâd - a word which is never used in the sense of sore or wound. The Septuagint renders it, "my hands are before him." The Vulgate renders it in the same manner. Luther, "My hand is stretched out at night." DeWette, "My hand is stretched out at night unwearied." The word which is rendered in our version "ran" - נגר nâgar - means to "flow;" and, in Niphil, to be poured out, and then, "to be stretched out;" which is evidently its meaning here. The idea is, that his hand was stretched out in earnest supplication, and that this continued in the night when these troubles came most upon him. See Psa 77:4, Psa 77:6. In his painful meditations in the night. watches - in thinking on God and his ways, as he lay upon his bed, he stretched out his hand in fervent prayer to God. And ceased not - The word used here - פוג pûg - means properly to be cold; then, to be torpid, sluggish, slack. Here it means that the hand did not become weary; it did not fall from exhaustion; or, in other words, that he did not give over praying through weariness or exhaustion. My soul refused to be comforted - I resisted all the suggestions that came to my own mind, that might have comforted me. My heart was so melancholy and downcast; my spirits were so crushed; my mind was so dark; I had become so morbid, that I loved to cherish these thoughts. I chose to dwell on them. They had obtained possession of me, and I could not let them go. There was nothing that my own mind could suggest, there was nothing that occurred to me, that would relieve the difficulty or restore peace to my soul. These sad and gloomy thoughts filled all my soul, and left no room for thoughts of consolation and peace. A truly pious man may, therefore, get into a state of mind - a sad, dispirited, melancholy, morbid state - in which nothing that can be said to him, nothing that will occur to himself, will give him comfort and peace. Compare Jer 31:15.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]

In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord - Compare the notes at Psa 50:15. This trouble may have been either mental or bodily; that is, it may have arisen from some form of disease, or it may have been that which sprang from difficulties in regard to the divine character, government, and dealings. That it "assumed" the latter form, even if it had its beginning in the former, is apparent from the following verses. Whether it was connected with any form of bodily disease must be determined by the proper interpretation of the next clause in this verse.

My sore ran in the night - Margin, "My hand." It is evident that our translators sup. posed that there was some bodily disease - some running sore - which was the cause of his trouble. Hence, they so rendered the Hebrew word. But it is now generally agreed that this is without authority. The Hebrew word is "hand" - יד yâd - a word which is never used in the sense of sore or wound. The Septuagint renders it, "my hands are before him." The Vulgate renders it in the same manner. Luther, "My hand is stretched out at night." DeWette, "My hand is stretched out at night unwearied." The word which is rendered in our version "ran" - נגר nâgar - means to "flow;" and, in Niphil, to be poured out, and then, "to be stretched out;" which is evidently its meaning here. The idea is, that his hand was stretched out in earnest supplication, and that this continued in the night when these troubles came most upon him. See Psa 77:4, Psa 77:6. In his painful meditations in the night. watches - in thinking on God and his ways, as he lay upon his bed, he stretched out his hand in fervent prayer to God.

And ceased not - The word used here - פוג pûg - means properly to be cold; then, to be torpid, sluggish, slack. Here it means that the hand did not become weary; it did not fall from exhaustion; or, in other words, that he did not give over praying through weariness or exhaustion.

My soul refused to be comforted - I resisted all the suggestions that came to my own mind, that might have comforted me. My heart was so melancholy and downcast; my spirits were so crushed; my mind was so dark; I had become so morbid, that I loved to cherish these thoughts. I chose to dwell on them. They had obtained possession of me, and I could not let them go. There was nothing that my own mind could suggest, there was nothing that occurred to me, that would relieve the difficulty or restore peace to my soul. These sad and gloomy thoughts filled all my soul, and left no room for thoughts of consolation and peace. A truly pious man may, therefore, get into a state of mind - a sad, dispirited, melancholy, morbid state - in which nothing that can be said to him, nothing that will occur to himself, will give him comfort and peace. Compare Jer 31:15.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
Night - Which to others was a time of rest and quietness.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
My sore ran in the night, and ceased not - This is a most unaccountable translation; the literal meaning of ידי נגרה yadi niggerah, which we translate my sore ran, is, my hand was stretched out, i.e., in prayer. He continued during the whole night with his voice and hands lifted up to God, and ceased not, even in the midst of great discouragements.

Top

¹⁵ Thus saith [0559] the LORD [03068]; A voice [06963] was heard [08085] in Ramah [07414], lamentation [05092], and bitter [08563] weeping [01065]; Rahel [07354] weeping [01058] for her children [01121] refused [03985] to be comforted [05162] for her children [01121], because they were not.

³⁵ And all his sons [01121] and all his daughters [01323] rose up [06965] to comfort [05162] him; but he refused [03985] to be comforted [05162]; and he said [0559], For I will go down [03381] into the grave [07585] unto my son [01121] mourning [057]. Thus his father [01] wept [01058] for him.

⁸ I am feeble [06313] and sore [03966] broken [01794]: I have roared [07580] by reason of the disquietness [05100] of my heart [03820].

²⁶ And told [05046] him, saying [0559], Joseph [03130] is yet alive [02416], and he is governor [04910] over all the land [0776] of Egypt [04714]. And Jacob's heart [03820] fainted [06313], for he believed [0539] them not.

²⁰ If we have forgotten [07911] the name [08034] of our God [0430], or stretched out [06566] our hands [03709] to a strange [02114] god [0410];

⁶ I call to remembrance [02142] my song [05058] in the night [03915]: I commune [07878] with mine own heart [03824]: and my spirit [07307] made diligent search [02664].

⁴ Thou holdest [0270] mine eyes [05869] waking [08109]: I am so troubled [06470] that I cannot speak [01696].

¹⁵ And call [07121] upon me in the day [03117] of trouble [06869]: I will deliver [02502] thee, and thou shalt glorify [03513] me.