{"id":615,"date":"2026-06-17T17:16:05","date_gmt":"2026-06-17T17:16:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/johnpeyton.online\/?post_type=cg_article&p=615"},"modified":"2026-08-25T16:57:40","modified_gmt":"2026-08-25T16:57:40","slug":"i-am-so-troubled-that-i-cannot-speak","status":"publish","type":"cg_article","link":"https:\/\/johnpeyton.online\/zh\/article\/i-am-so-troubled-that-i-cannot-speak\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2026 I am so troubled that I cannot speak."},"content":{"rendered":"


Psalm 77:4<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Does that sentiment resonate with anyone?  My guess is it does. Likely it has been at some point in the lives of every human being, redeemed or unredeemed. That debilitating state of paralysis that was brought on by fear, or depression and unceasing despondency, or an ongoing, prolonged sickness, or the overwhelming sorrow and grief over the loss of the beloved friend or family member who has perished or forsaken you, and the Lord. Certainly Job would concur, as he found himself speechless for 7 days and nights, for \u201chis pain was very great\u201d (Job 2:13). Or perhaps over our own repeated failures to do the right thing, to think and act and respond to the Lord and others as we ought. Our own sin and self-centeredness is often the enemies greatest weapon against us, and our most frequented road traveled to despair and hopelessness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In such despair is where we find Asaph in Psalm 77. He says in verse 2 \u201cin the day of my trouble I sought the Lord; (and)<\/em> in the night my hand was stretched out without weariness; (and yet)<\/em> my soul refused to be comforted.\u201d And unlike his experience in Psalm 73, in 77 he doesn\u2019t site the cause of his despondency and depression, so it could be anything; or even worse, nothing at all \u2013 as many of us can testify that causeless depression can be the one of the greatest of all trials to work through. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

He is endeavoring to work through this in verses 5 and 6; perhaps some perspective will help him here, but it doesn\u2019t seem to, for now the questioning arises\u2026 verses 7-9, \u201cWill the Lord reject forever? And will He never be favorable again? Has His lovingkindness ceased forever? Has His promise come to an end forever? Has God forgotten to be gracious? Or has He in anger withdrawn His compassion?\u201d Ever found yourself here? Here is a desperate state for the soul indeed, when despair and hopelessness leads us to questioning the character of our Heavenly Father. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even worse, when the ongoing trials or repeated failures cause us to become so jaded and hopeless, that we don\u2019t see any reason to even try anymore, as he says in Psalm 73:13-14 \u201cSurely in vain I have kept my heart pure, and washed my hands in innocence; For I have been stricken all day long, And chastened every morning.\u201d  Why even try anymore, this is hopeless. And yet he knows how devastating this sentiment can be, not only to himself, but also to others whom he will likely influence\u2026verse 15 \u201cIf I had said, \u2018I will speak thus,\u2019 behold, I should have betrayed the generation of Thy children.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Divine Remedy<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yet he doesn\u2019t stay here. In fact he, in a sense, acts as his own therapist in coming to terms with how he got here\u2026 verses 16-17 \u201cWhen I pondered to understand this, it was troublesome in my sight until I came into the sanctuary of God;\u201d. He understands that his perspective has become twisted, jaded in fact, and in order to correct this, he needs clarity from God. Unfortunately what we can see and experience in this life does not give us a clear and accurate picture of who God is and what He is accomplishing, both in our lives, and in His \u201creconciling all things to Himself\u201d (Col 1:20).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Psalm 77 Asaph finds the same resolve. He even sights the cause of his doubting God\u2026 \u201cThen I said, \u2018It is my grief, That the right hand of the Most High has changed\u201d (vs 10 NASB). In other words, my trouble and grief has so jaded me that I have come to the place in my life where I\u2019m thinking and telling myself that God has changed. That He will \u201creject forever,\u201d \u201cnever again be favorable,\u201d that His \u201cpromise (will)<\/em> come to an end\u201d and that \u201cHe in anger (has)<\/em> withdrawn His compassion (toward me)<\/em>\u201d. Yet none of this is true, and he knows this! So what does he resolve to do?  Verses 11-12 \u201cI shall remember the deeds of the LORD; Surely I will remember Thy wonders of old. I will meditate on all Thy work, and muse on Thy deeds.\u201d And the content of his recollection? What does he remind himself of? Verses 13-15 \u201cThy way, O God, is holy; What god is great like our God? Thou art the God who workest wonders; Thou hast made known Thy strength among the peoples. Thou hast by Thy power redeemed Thy people, The sons of Jacob and Joseph.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

God you are holy and just, mighty and powerful. A God who does the impossible and redeems a people for your own possession (verse 15). What god is great like our God?  You are above, and governing all that I see, and don\u2019t see, and all for Your glory and the good of Thy people (Eph. 1, Rom 8:28).  Lord help me to remember this as I continue on my journey home. That you have not, nor ever will, leave or forsake me (John 14:18, 23). Help me to remember that \u201cHe who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?\u201d (Rom 8:32). \u201cWho (or what)<\/em> shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?\u201d (Rom 8:35) Help me to declare with every fiber of my being\u2026\u201cMay it never be!\u201d For though I waver and fall, I \u201cshall not be hurled headlong; Because the LORD is the One who holds (my) hand.\u201d (Psalm 37:24) \u201cFor I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.\u201d (Romans 8:38-39) O Lord, help me to remember that \u201ceven though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil; for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me.\u201d (Psalm 23:4)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And Jesus said, \u201cPeace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.\u201d (John 14:27; 16:33)<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Psalm 77:4 Does that sentiment resonate with anyone?  My guess is it does. Likely it has been at some point in the lives of every human being, redeemed or unredeemed. That debilitating state of paralysis that was brought on by fear, or depression and unceasing despondency, or an ongoing, prolonged sickness, or the overwhelming sorrow […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","cg_article_author":[126],"cg_article_topic":[],"cg_article_category":[],"cg_article_level":[],"class_list":["post-615","cg_article","type-cg_article","status-publish","hentry","cg_article_author-johnpeyton"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/johnpeyton.online\/zh\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cg_article\/615","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/johnpeyton.online\/zh\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cg_article"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/johnpeyton.online\/zh\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/cg_article"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/johnpeyton.online\/zh\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=615"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/johnpeyton.online\/zh\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cg_article\/615\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":616,"href":"https:\/\/johnpeyton.online\/zh\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cg_article\/615\/revisions\/616"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/johnpeyton.online\/zh\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=615"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"cg_article_author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/johnpeyton.online\/zh\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cg_article_author?post=615"},{"taxonomy":"cg_article_topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/johnpeyton.online\/zh\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cg_article_topic?post=615"},{"taxonomy":"cg_article_category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/johnpeyton.online\/zh\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cg_article_category?post=615"},{"taxonomy":"cg_article_level","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/johnpeyton.online\/zh\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cg_article_level?post=615"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}