Psalms 77:17

The clouds poured out water. The skies resounded with thunder. Your arrows also flashed around.

World English Bible

Learn

Your notes

Private to you. Anything you write on this verse, here or while reading, shows up here and in My study.

Other translations

WEBBE

The clouds poured out water. The skies resounded with thunder. Your arrows also flashed around.

BSB

The clouds poured down water; the skies resounded with thunder; Your arrows flashed back and forth.

ASV

The clouds poured out water; The skies sent out a sound: Thine arrows also went abroad.

Original Hebrew

Look up a word

Tap a word to see what it means and everywhere else it's used.

זֹרְמוּ zo·re·mu they poured forth H2229 מַיִם ma·yim water H4325 עָבוֹת a·vot clouds H5645 קוֹל kol a sound H6963 נָתְנוּ na·te·nu they gave forth H5414 שְׁחָקִים she·cha·kim clouds H7834 אַף־ 'af- also H637 חֲצָצֶיךָ cha·tza·tzei·kha arrows your H2671 יִתְהַלָּכוּ yit·ha·la·khu they went about H1980

The early church

In praises of God, in confessions of sins, in hymns and in songs, in prayers, "There is a multitude of the sound of waters. The clouds have uttered a voice" [Psalm 77:17]. Thence that sound of waters, thence the troubling of the abysses, because "the clouds have uttered a voice." What clouds? The preachers of the word of truth. What clouds? Those concerning which God does menace a certain vineyard, which instead of grape had brought forth thorns and He says, "I will command My clouds, that they rain no rain upon it." [Isaiah 5:6] In a word, the Apostles forsaking the Jews, went to the Gentiles: in preaching Christ among all nations, "the clouds have uttered a voice." "For Your arrows have gone through." Those same voices of the clouds He has again called arrows. For the words of the Evangelists were arrows. For these things are allegories. For properly neither an arrow is rain, nor rain is an arrow: but yet the word of God is both an arrow because it does smite; and rain because it does water. Let no one therefore any longer wonder at the troubling of the abysses, when "Your arrows have gone through." What is, "have gone through"? They have not stopped in the ears, but they have pierced the heart.

Augustine of Hippo · d. 430Expositions on the Psalms

Commentary

Matthew Henry · Verses 11–20

The remembrance of the works of God, will be a powerful remedy against distrust of his promise and goodness; for he is God, and changes not. God's way is in the sanctuary. We are sure that God is holy in all his works. God's ways are like the deep waters, which cannot be fathomed; like the way of a ship, which cannot be tracked. God brought Israel out of Egypt. This was typical of the great redemption to be wrought out in the fulness of time, both by price and power. If we have harboured doubtful thoughts, we should, without delay, turn our minds to meditate on that God, who spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, that with him, he might freely give us all things.

Read Matthew Henry on Psalm 77 →

Spurgeon · Verse 17

The clouds poured out water. Obedient to the Lord, the lower region of the atmosphere yielded its aid to overthrow the Egyptian host. The cloudy chariots of heaven hurried forward to discharge their floods. The skies sent out a sound. From the loftier aerial regions thundered the dread artillery of the Lord of Hosts. Peal on peal the skies sounded over the heads of the routed enemies, confusing their minds and adding to their horror. Thine arrows also went abroad. Lightnings flew like bolts from the bow of God. Swiftly, hither and thither, went the red tongues of flame, on helm and shield they gleamed; anon with blue bale fires revealing the innermost caverns of the hungry sea which waited to swallow up the pride of Mizraim. Behold, how all the creatures wait upon their God, and show themselves strong to overthrow his enemies.

Read Spurgeon on Psalm 77 →

Cross-references

Cross-references: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. Hebrew and Greek data from STEPBible.org (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0. Library: sources.