The Meaning of Psalms 77:3 Explained

Psalms 77:3

KJV: I remembered God, and was troubled: I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Selah.

YLT: I remember God, and make a noise, I meditate, and feeble is my spirit. Selah.

Darby: I remembered God, and I moaned; I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Selah.

ASV: I remember God, and am disquieted: I complain, and my spirit is overwhelmed. Selah

KJV Reverse Interlinear

I remembered  God,  and was troubled:  I complained,  and my spirit  was overwhelmed.  Selah. 

What does Psalms 77:3 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 77:1-10 - "doth His Promise Fail?"
There is a strong resemblance between this psalm and Habakkuk 3:1-19. It may be divided at the Selahs. The psalmist's anguish, Psalms 77:1-3. It is well to give expression to grief. Do not lock it in your breast. Even in the thick darkness reach out your hands toward God. Your finger-tips will find themselves touched by the divine response. Refuse to be comforted by Christian work, or by the diversions of society and business, or by the exercise of a strong will. Open the wound to God; He will heal it and wipe away your tears.
The contrast between past and present, Psalms 77:4-9. In the scarcity of his comfort, David was glad to live on his old stores, as are bees in winter. He specially recalled his song in the night, which is probably the equivalent of that glorying in tribulation of which the New Testament is full. Let us answer those questions of the psalmist: Will the Lord cast off? No; Romans 11:1. Will He be favorable? Yes; Lamentations 3:32. Is His mercy clean gone? No; Psalms 103:17. Doth his promise fail? No; Hebrews 6:18. Hath God forgotten to be gracious? No; Exodus 34:6. Hath He shut up his mercies? No; Lamentations 3:22-23. He is Jehovah, and changes not. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 77

1  The psalmist shows what fierce combat he had with distrust
10  The victory which he had by consideration of God's great and gracious works

What do the individual words in Psalms 77:3 mean?

I remembered God and was troubled I complained and was overwhelmed my spirit Selah
אֶזְכְּרָ֣ה אֱלֹהִ֣ים וְאֶֽהֱמָיָ֑ה אָשִׂ֓יחָה ׀ וְתִתְעַטֵּ֖ף רוּחִ֣י סֶֽלָה

אֶזְכְּרָ֣ה  I  remembered 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect Cohortative, first person common singular
Root: זָכַר 
Sense: to remember, recall, call to mind.
אֱלֹהִ֣ים  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
וְאֶֽהֱמָיָ֑ה  and  was  troubled 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative, first person common singular
Root: הָמָה  
Sense: to murmur, growl, roar, cry aloud, mourn, rage, sound, make noise, tumult, be clamorous, be disquieted, be loud, be moved, be troubled, be in an uproar.
אָשִׂ֓יחָה ׀  I  complained 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect Cohortative, first person common singular
Root: שִׂיחַ  
Sense: to put forth, mediate, muse, commune, speak, complain, ponder, sing.
וְתִתְעַטֵּ֖ף  and  was  overwhelmed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hitpael, Conjunctive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: עָטוּף 
Sense: to turn aside.
רוּחִ֣י  my  spirit 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct, first person common singular
Root: רוּחַ  
Sense: wind, breath, mind, spirit.
סֶֽלָה  Selah 
Parse: Interjection
Root: סֶלָה  
Sense: to lift up, exalt.