Psalms 77:9 Meaning and Explanation
“Hath God forgotten to be gracious? hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? Selah.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The psalmist asks whether God has forgotten graciousness and withheld mercy in anger.
The Context of Psalms 77:9
The psalmist wonders if God's graciousness is forgotten and mercies are withheld by divine anger.
What Does Psalms 77:9 Mean?
'Hath God forgotten to be gracious?' personifies God's attributes—grace is here something he actively practices, something he might forget. To forget graciousness would be a departure from his essential character. This question implies that if silence persists, perhaps God has chosen to set aside the very quality that defines his relationship to his people.
'hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies?' proposes that divine anger might explain the current withdrawal. Tender mercies are intimate compassions—the deepest kindness. If these are 'shut up,' they are locked away, inaccessible. The psalmist entertains the possibility that God's anger, though perhaps justified, has sealed off the very mercies the psalmist desperately needs. The Selah invites contemplation of this terrible possibility.
Psalms 77:9 in the Original Language
rachamim (רַחֲמִים), 'mercies'—from the Hebrew for womb; compassion rooted in the deepest intimacy and nurture.
Frequently Asked Questions About Psalms 77:9
What does Psalms 77:9 mean?
The psalmist asks whether God has forgotten graciousness and withheld mercy in anger.
What is the context of Psalms 77:9?
The psalmist wonders if God's graciousness is forgotten and mercies are withheld by divine anger.