Movatterモバイル変換

Isaiah 27:11
When the boughs thereof are withered, they shall be broken off: the women come,and set them on fire: for itis a people of no understanding: therefore he that made them will not have mercy on them, and he that formed them will shew them no favour.

Luke 16:25,26
But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented…

doth

Numbers 14:34
After the number of the days in which ye searched the land,even forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities,even forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise.

Numbers 23:19
Godis not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not doit? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?

Jeremiah 15:18
Why is my pain perpetual, and my wound incurable,which refuseth to be healed? wilt thou be altogether unto me as a liar,and as watersthat fail?

for evermore.

Has His promise failed for all time?
This phrase questions the reliability of God's promises, a theme that resonates throughout the Bible. The psalmist is grappling with the apparent silence or inaction of God, which seems to contradict His promises of protection and blessing. Historically, Israel often faced situations where God's promises seemed distant, such as during the Babylonian exile. However, the Bible consistently affirms that God's promises are sure and will be fulfilled in His timing, as seen inNumbers 23:19, which declares that God does not lie or change His mind. This phrase also points forward to the ultimate fulfillment of God's promises in Jesus Christ, who is described in2 Corinthians 1:20 as the "Yes" to all of God's promises. The psalmist's lament, therefore, serves as a reminder to trust in God's faithfulness, even when circumstances suggest otherwise.

Asaph’s cry comes from a night of anguish (Psalm 77:2–4), yet the question itself assumes the reality of divine loving devotion—because one cannot fear the loss of something that never existed.

• Scripture consistently affirms that God’s “loving devotion” endures. “Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His loving devotion endures forever” (Psalm 136:1).

• His steadfast love is rooted in His unchanging character. “The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion and faithfulness” (Exodus 34:6; cf.Malachi 3:6).

• Even when circumstances feel hopeless, God’s love remains. “Though the mountains may be removed… My loving devotion will not depart from you” (Isaiah 54:10).

•Lamentations 3:22–23 reminds us, “Because of the loving devotion of the LORD we are not consumed… His compassions never fail.”

So,Psalm 77:8 does not question God’s nature but gives voice to human frailty. Taken literally, the answer is a resounding “No—His loving devotion is never gone.” The verse invites worshipers to bring real fears before a God whose love is eternally reliable.

The second line intensifies the first. If God’s love endures, His promises—flowing from that love—must also be trustworthy.

• Scripture celebrates a flawless record of fulfilled promises: “Not one of all the LORD’s good promises to Israel failed; every one was fulfilled” (Joshua 21:45).

• God’s promises rest on His faithfulness, not on our stability. “If we are faithless, He remains faithful” (2 Timothy 2:13).

•Numbers 23:19 anchors the certainty: “God is not a man, that He should lie… Has He said, and will He not do?”

• Believers today stand in the same assurance. “Let us hold resolutely to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful” (Hebrews 10:23; cf.2 Corinthians 1:20).

Thus the literal sense of the psalmist’s question is again answered: God’s promises have never failed and never will, even when present distress clouds our perception.

Psalm 77:8 captures the tension between felt experience and eternal truth. Asaph voices doubt so we can witness its resolution: God’s loving devotion is never withdrawn, and His promises are eternally secure. When our hearts echo these questions, Scripture calls us to cling to the unchanging character of the Lord whose love and word never fail.