God Sings Songs For The ForgottenSample

"God Sings Songs of Hope"

Nothing can bring the human soul to a sinking despair like the silence of God. Though the Bible gives no clear-cut answers in how to reconcile this problem, the divine word clearly comes alongside our despairing to help us in hope. 

Psalm 77 is an interesting combination of a lament-typical prayer of an individual, and a praise that acknowledges God’s historic deeds; which is an aspect more typical of hymns. It appears, that during the time of exile (roughly 587-538) that God’s people composed and adopted songs of lament to corporately express their hurt and heartache to God. These songs clearly were for an exiled people waiting in hope for escape! 

These songs are applicable in our time as well. Even New Testament writers like Peter saw God’s church to be living in a similar period in history. In reading 1 Peter 1, Peter gives instructions to an exiled and scattered people in how to hope and live in the midst of such trying circumstances. He makes no apologies that God’s church will forever live in the reality of being in exile on earth until God’s kingdom comes in perfect justice.

This psalm therefore, which was composed for exilic Judah, is for the church today! Though we live in the “night” we must not forget “our song.” The Lord must help us remember. The Lord must help us to bring our appeals, and the Lord must ground us in confidence that our exile will end in eternal freedom within the kingdom.

Just like God delivered Israel from the hands of the Egyptians, he is undoubtedly delivering you and his church from our current struggles and wandering. Though we feel we are lost, we must take hope. He is our song in the night! Listen to Psalm 77 on our Songs of the Forgotten album and take heart, he who lives in you has overcome the world!