Psalms 77:9
Hath God forgotten to be gracious? hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? Selah.
Original Language Analysis
הֲשָׁכַ֣ח
forgotten
H7911
הֲשָׁכַ֣ח
forgotten
Strong's:
H7911
Word #:
1 of 8
to mislay, i.e., to be oblivious of, from want of memory or attention
אֵ֑ל
Hath God
H410
אֵ֑ל
Hath God
Strong's:
H410
Word #:
3 of 8
strength; as adjective, mighty; especially the almighty (but used also of any deity)
אִם
H518
אִם
Strong's:
H518
Word #:
4 of 8
used very widely as demonstrative, lo!; interrogative, whether?; or conditional, if, although; also oh that!, when; hence, as a negative, not
קָפַ֥ץ
shut up
H7092
קָפַ֥ץ
shut up
Strong's:
H7092
Word #:
5 of 8
to draw together, i.e., close; by implication, to leap (by contracting the limbs); specifically, to die (from gathering up the feet)
בְּ֝אַ֗ף
hath he in anger
H639
בְּ֝אַ֗ף
hath he in anger
Strong's:
H639
Word #:
6 of 8
properly, the nose or nostril; hence, the face, and occasionally a person; also (from the rapid breathing in passion) ire
Historical Context
The tension between God's anger and mercy permeates Israel's history. The golden calf incident (Exodus 32) threatened national extinction, yet Moses appealed to rachamim successfully. The exile seemed to prove God's anger had overcome mercy, yet prophets promised restoration (Isaiah 54:7-8). The questions here anticipate Paul's doxology: "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!" (Romans 11:33). When God's ways are inscrutable, we trust His revealed character.
Questions for Reflection
- What does it mean that God's mercy has a 'womb-like' quality that cannot ultimately be shut off?
- How do you maintain faith when God's anger seems more evident than His mercy?
- How does the cross resolve the apparent tension between God's wrath and His tender mercies?
Analysis & Commentary
Hath God forgotten to be gracious? (הֲשָׁכַח חַנּוֹת אֵל). Shakach (שָׁכַח) means to forget, ignore, or neglect. Chanun (חַנּוֹת) from chanan (חָנַן) means to show grace, mercy, or compassion. Can the God whose very nature is grace somehow forget His own character? The question borders on absurdity yet expresses the soul's desperate confusion when suffering contradicts theology.
Hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? (הָקָפַץ בְּאַף רַחֲמָיו). Qaphats (קָפַץ) means to shut, draw together, or close off. Rachamim (רַחֲמִים) derives from rechem (womb), suggesting motherly compassion, deep visceral mercy. Could God's womb-love be sealed off by anger? Selah marks another pause—let these terrible questions sink in. They represent the nadir of the psalm, after which comes the turn toward hope (v.10).