The psalmist's questions aren't just despairing cries; they reveal a deep wrestling with God's character based on past experiences. He's not just asking if God has changed, but implying that if God has forgotten His promises and covenant, it would be utterly inconsistent with who He has always been. This shows that even in profound doubt, his questions are rooted in his memory of God's faithfulness.
“Will the Lord spurn forever, and never again be favorable? Has his steadfast love forever ceased? Are his promises at an end for all time? Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he in anger shut up his compassion?” Selah
English Standard Version (ESV)
The psalmist is in a deep funk, wrestling with doubt and despair, likely due to national disaster or personal suffering. He's been praying and meditating intensely, but finds no comfort, only darkness and questions like whether God has permanently abandoned his people. He's grappling with the stark contrast between God's past faithfulness and his current sense of abandonment.
Ever feel like your prayers hit a ceiling? The psalmist here poured out his soul, only to be met with what felt like silence. This isn't just sadness; it's a deep, agonizing question about God's very nature.
The Agony of Unanswered Prayer
The psalmist, Asaph, is in deep distress. His cries to God feel unheard, his pleas unanswered. He's not just having a bad day; he's questioning the core of his relationship with God. This verse reveals the profound pain that comes when God's presence feels absent, especially during times of national or personal calamity.
Is it possible that God, who is eternal and unchanging, could actually change His mind about us? This verse dives into the tension between our experience and God's promises.
The Covenant Under Scrutiny
At the heart of this lament is a profound challenge to God's covenant faithfulness. The psalmist wonders if God's promises, His very nature, can be called into question by present circumstances.
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Understand the original words
selah · Hebrew Noun
A Hebrew term frequently used in the Psalms, likely a musical or liturgical instruction indicating a pause for reflection or a change in dynamic.
chesed · Hebrew Noun
A theological term describing God’s covenantal faithfulness, loyal love, or loving-kindness that persists despite human unfaithfulness.
channun · Hebrew Adjective
In biblical context, God's unmerited favor and divine kindness bestowed upon those who do not deserve it.
racham · Hebrew Noun
Deep inward feelings of tenderness and pity; often associated with God’s mercy and deep emotional identification with His people's plight.
The profound national disasters of the exile, particularly the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple, created an existential crisis for Israel. This verse captures the psalmist's raw struggle with the terrifying possibility that God, who had always intervened in the past, might have finally abandoned His people forever.
c. 722 BC
Fall of the Northern Kingdom (Israel)
The Assyrian Empire conquered the northern kingdom of Israel, exiling its population and scattering them. This event would have profoundly impacted Judah, raising fears about God's faithfulness and whether He had abandoned His people entirely.
586 BC— this verse
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
The Babylonian Empire conquered Judah, destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple, and exiled a significant portion of the population. This catastrophic event represented a profound national crisis and a deep spiritual challenge to the people's faith.
c. 586-538 BC
The Babylonian Exile
The Jewish people lived in exile in Babylon, far from their homeland and their devastated Temple. This period was marked by deep lament, questioning God's presence, and a struggle to maintain hope and identity.
539 BC
Cyrus the Great's Conquest of Babylon
The Persian king Cyrus conquered Babylon, paving the way for the return of exiled peoples, including the Jews, to their homelands.
c. 538 BC onwards
Return from Exile
Many Jewish exiles began returning to Jerusalem and began the process of rebuilding the Temple and the city. While a time of restoration, it was also marked by challenges and a long period of waiting for full restoration.
This passage directly answers the psalmist's question, affirming that God has not cast off His people permanently, providing a theological counterpoint to the despair expressed in Psalm 77:7.
Lamentations 3:31-33These verses echo the psalmist's struggle, describing God's discipline but also His enduring compassion, which offers a message of hope that God's favor is not completely withdrawn even in deep sorrow.
Jeremiah 31:35-37This prophetic passage assures the people of God's unchanging faithfulness and covenantal commitment, directly countering the fear that God might abandon His people forever, as questioned in Psalm 77:7.
Psalm 85:5This psalm directly addresses a similar theme of past divine anger followed by restored favor, offering a parallel prayer that God would again show favor and not remain angry forever, like the psalmist in 77:7.
Ezekiel 37:11-14This powerful vision of the dry bones coming to life directly speaks to the idea of national restoration after despair, mirroring the psalmist's fear of permanent abandonment and offering a divine promise of renewed life and favor.
pulpitPsalms 77:7: "Will the Lord cast off for ever? and will he be favourable no more?"
Verse 7. - Will the Lord cast off forever? The psalmist asked himself in the night such questions as these: Is it really to be supposed that God will cast off his people forever? And will he be favourable (or, gracious) no more? Surely such desertion is incredible.
clarkePsalms 77:7: "Will the Lord cast off for ever? and will he be favourable no more?"
Will the Lord cast off for ever? - Will there be no end to this captivity? Has he not said, "Turn, ye backsliders; for I am married unto you: I will heal your backsliding, and love you freely." Will he then be favorable no more? Thus the psalmist pleads and reasons with his Maker.
The psalmist's questions aren't just despairing cries; they reveal a deep wrestling with God's character based on past experiences. He's not just asking if God has changed, but implying that if God has forgotten His promises and covenant, it would be utterly inconsistent with who He has always been. This shows that even in profound doubt, his questions are rooted in his memory of God's faithfulness.
The psalmist is in a deep funk, wrestling with doubt and despair, likely due to national disaster or personal suffering. He's been praying and meditating intensely, but finds no comfort, only darkness and questions like whether God has permanently abandoned his people. He's grappling with the stark contrast between God's past faithfulness and his current sense of abandonment.
The psalmist is in a deep funk, wrestling with doubt and despair, likely due to national disaster or personal suffering. He's been praying and meditating intensely, but finds no comfort, only darkness and questions like whether God has permanently abandoned his people. He's grappling with the stark contrast between God's past faithfulness and his current sense of abandonment.
"“Will the Lord spurn forever, and never again be favorable? Has his steadfast love forever ceased? Are his promises at an end for all time? Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he in anger shut up his compassion?”…" — The psalmist's questions aren't just despairing cries; they reveal a deep wrestling with God's character based on past experiences. He's not just asking if God has changed, but implying that if God…
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Last reviewed October 2026
