I cry aloud to God, aloud to God, and he will hear me. In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord; in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying; my soul refuses to be comforted.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse isn't just about praying loudly; the repetition of "aloud to God" highlights the psalmist's overwhelming anguish, so deep it forced words out. It reveals a raw, desperate plea, not a quiet meditation, emphasizing that even when our prayers feel like a desperate shout, God is listening.
I cry aloud to God, aloud to God, and he will hear me. In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord; in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying; my soul refuses to be comforted.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This psalm opens with the psalmist in deep personal anguish, likely stemming from national calamity, feeling abandoned by God. He describes an intense, repeated crying out to God, not just a quiet plea but a desperate vocal outpouring. This raw cry sets the stage for the psalm's journey from despair to remembrance of God's mighty acts in the past.
Ever felt like your prayers were just whispers in the wind? This verse shows us that sometimes, our deepest troubles need to be voiced.
The Psalmist uses strong repetition here: 'I cried aloud to God, aloud to God.' This isn't just poetic flair; it paints a picture of someone in serious anguish.
What if the very act of crying out contains a hidden promise? This verse assures us that our voice isn't lost.
While the Psalmist is crying out because he's in distress, the structure of his cry holds a confident expectation.
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Understand the original words
tsaaq · Hebrew Verb
A vocal expression of distress, petition, or praise directed toward the Lord, often in a state of desperation or urgent need. It signifies a fundamental act of faith by which the believer appeals to God's presence and power.
Elohim · Hebrew Noun
The covenant God of Israel, the eternal I AM, who enters into personal relationship with His people and is characterized by His holiness, righteousness, and faithfulness.
tsarah · Hebrew Noun
A state of distress, hardship, or affliction, often used in the Psalms to describe experiences that challenge a believer's faith and trust in God's providence.
Adonay · Hebrew Noun
The sovereign Master and Ruler, a title expressing supreme authority and the right to direct the life of the servant, often used as a plea for divine intervention.
nephesh · Hebrew Noun
The immaterial part of man that constitutes the seat of his emotions, desires, and personal identity. It is the core of a human being's existence before God, capable of experiencing deep sorrow or profound joy.
This psalm likely arose from the profound despair following the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple. The psalmist's cry to God reflects the deep anguish of a people facing national catastrophe and questioning God's faithfulness and presence amidst their suffering.
c. 722 BC
Fall of Samaria and Assyrian Exile
The northern kingdom of Israel falls to Assyria, leading to the exile of many of its people. This event created widespread fear and uncertainty about God's faithfulness throughout the remaining kingdom of Judah.
605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon deports some of the Judean elite, including Daniel, to Babylon. This marks the beginning of Judah's subjugation and foreshadows greater disaster.
597 BC
Second Deportation to Babylon
Following a rebellion, Jerusalem is besieged, and King Jehoiachin and more of the Judean population are exiled to Babylon. This deepens the sense of national crisis and divine abandonment.
586 BC— this verse
Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple
Babylonian forces destroy Jerusalem and its sacred Temple, ending the Davidic monarchy and scattering the people. This catastrophic event plunged the survivors into the deepest despair and doubt.
c. 586-538 BC
Babylonian Exile
The period of exile in Babylon, where the Judeans lived far from their homeland and faced profound spiritual and existential questions about God's presence and power.
This passage speaks of God hearing the cries of the oppressed, echoing the psalmist's plea and the assurance that God is attentive to those who call on Him, even when their suffering feels prolonged.
Jeremiah 29:12-13Just as the exiles in Jeremiah's time were told to call upon God and seek Him with all their heart, this verse highlights the earnest, vocal prayer that arises from a heart in distress, seeking God's attention.
Psalm 50:15This verse from Psalms offers a direct promise from God to hear the prayers of those who call upon Him in their distress, directly reinforcing the psalmist's declaration that God 'gave ear unto me'.
Hebrews 5:7This New Testament passage describes Jesus crying out with tears in His earthly life, showing that even the Son of God offered fervent, vocal prayers, similar to the psalmist's 'cried aloud... with my voice'.
clarkePsalms 77:1: "To the chief Musician, to Jeduthun, A Psalm of Asaph. I cried unto God with my voice, even unto God with my voice; and he gave ear unto me."
I cried unto God - The repetition here marks the earnestness of the psalmist's soul; and the word voice shows that the Psalm was not the issue of private meditation, but of deep mental trouble, which forced him to speak his griefs aloud.
expositorsPsalms 77:1-20: "To the chief Musician, to Jeduthun, A Psalm of Asaph. I cried unto God with my voice, even unto God with my voice; and he gave ear unto me."
Psalm 77:1-20 THE occasion of the profound sadness of the first part of this psalm may be inferred from the thoughts which brighten it into hope in the second. These were the memories of past national deliverance. It is natural to suppose that present national disasters were the causes of the sorrow which enveloped the psalmist’s spirit an…
The verse isn't just about praying loudly; the repetition of "aloud to God" highlights the psalmist's overwhelming anguish, so deep it forced words out. It reveals a raw, desperate plea, not a quiet meditation, emphasizing that even when our prayers feel like a desperate shout, God is listening.
This psalm opens with the psalmist in deep personal anguish, likely stemming from national calamity, feeling abandoned by God. He describes an intense, repeated crying out to God, not just a quiet plea but a desperate vocal outpouring. This raw cry sets the stage for the psalm's journey from despair to remembrance of God's mighty acts in the past.
This psalm opens with the psalmist in deep personal anguish, likely stemming from national calamity, feeling abandoned by God. He describes an intense, repeated crying out to God, not just a quiet plea but a desperate vocal outpouring. This raw cry sets the stage for the psalm's journey from despair to remembrance of God's mighty acts in the past.
"I cry aloud to God, aloud to God, and he will hear me. In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord; in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying; my soul refuses to be comforted." — The verse isn't just about praying loudly; the repetition of "aloud to God" highlights the psalmist's overwhelming anguish, so deep it forced words out. It reveals a raw, desperate plea, not a quiet…
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Last reviewed October 2026