Bible Study from February 3, 2020 - Psalm 77

Note: This podcast is abbreviated, as the recorder was not turned on when the study began, but only partway through the study. Look at the summary below for more of what was discussed.

In this study, we looked at some Scriptures related to Psalm 77. We looked at a few Scriptures from Habakkuk, an Old Testament prophet who lived and wrote at about the time of the fall of the Southern Kingdom of Judah to Babylonian invaders, around 605-597 BC. Habakkuk had questions for God, about what God was doing and allowing, and needed encouragement for his faith, just as Asaph did in Psalm 77. There was trouble within Judah and violence from invasions from the outside. Habakkuk cries out, “O Lord, how long shall I cry for help, and You will not hear? Or cry to You, 'Violence!' and you will not save” (Habakkuk 1:2).

The Lord has a surprising answer - that He is raising up the Chaldeans, the Babylonians, for the purpose of bringing judgment upon His own sinful, rebellious people, after many, many calls for repentance. (1:5-6) Habakkuk does not understand this, for, he says that the Babylonians are unbelievers, worshipping false gods, and are more wicked than the people of Judah (1:11). How could God use such evil people? Habakkuk waits for an answer from God (2:1).

God tells Habakkuk that judgment will eventually come to the Babylonians, also, and that God’s people must trust God and wait for His plans to work. God then speaks the famous words, “The righteous shall live by his faith” (2:2-4).

Even in the Old Testament, people are counted as righteous before God by simply believing the Lord and His promises (Genesis 15:5-6). See, for example, what the New Testament says about Abraham, based on the Genesis passage, in Romans 4:1-8. Habakkuk 2:4 is quoted in Romans 1:16-17 and Galatians 3:11 and Hebrews 10:38, all in the context of salvation by grace through faith, as a gift of God.

Habakkuk finally realizes that he himself has been “puffed up” and “not upright” before God, and is humbled and silenced before God (2:20). He prays a prayer to the Lord, speaking of the greatness and power of God in the past and using poetic picture images, as Asaph does in Psalm 77 (Habakkuk 3:8-15). He prays that even as wrath falls upon God’s people, God would “remember mercy” (3:2).

Habakkuk ends his prophecy with a great poetic statement of faith, that no matter what difficult things happen in the future, he will seek to live by faith in God’s coming strength and salvation, (Habakkuk 3:17-19), just as Asaph in Psalm 77, trusts that God will continue to lead His people like a flock, as their Redeemer (Psalm 77:15,20).

We then looked at some Scriptures which talk about walking in the “footsteps" of the Lord, as Psalm 77:19 and Psalm 50:23 encourage.

See, for example, 1 Peter 2:21-25, where we seek to follow in the steps of Jesus and His example, while gratefully knowing that Jesus has already lived perfectly for us and forgiven our sins. Job 34:21 and Proverbs 14:15 call us to be careful about our steps, as the Lord knows our ways. At the same time, the Lord is somehow working for good and directing our steps. We are not alone, as Proverbs 16:9, 20:24, 37:23, and Jeremiah 10:23-24 tell us. As the Holy Spirit has brought us to faith, we pray that we may walk in His way, by His power, in Galatians 5:16,25. Note the contrast between sinful desires and the fruit of the Spirit, in Gal. 5:17-24. We pray that the Lord will forgive our sins and lead us in the better way that we should go.