[aron]

Originally Posted by aron

I don't remember looking at Psalm 77, but I will now. That is a pretty evocative verse. "Your path led through the sea" makes me think of Moses and the Israelites in the Red Sea. I had not thought about that as an inspirational source for the poet to draw on. But in hindsight it seems obvious.

Psalm 77:10 Then I thought, “To this I will appeal:
the years when the Most High stretched out his right hand.
11 I will remember the deeds of the Lord;
yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.
12 I will consider all your works
and meditate on all your mighty deeds.”

13 Your ways, God, are holy.
What god is as great as our God?
14 You are the God who performs miracles;
you display your power among the peoples.
15 With your mighty arm you redeemed your people,
the descendants of Jacob and Joseph.

16 The waters saw you, God,
the waters saw you and writhed;
the very depths were convulsed.
17 The clouds poured down water,
the heavens resounded with thunder;
your arrows flashed back and forth.
18 Your thunder was heard in the whirlwind,
your lightning lit up the world;
the earth trembled and quaked.
19 Your path led through the sea,
your way through the mighty waters,
though your footprints were not seen.

20 You led your people like a flock
by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

It stands to reason that the afflicted poet would look back, as he did in verses 10-12, and remember the helps from God long ago. And this would prominently include the Exodus miracles, explicitly referenced in verses 15 and 20.

Just like Abraham was the proverbial father of promise, so Moses could be seen as the figure pointing to miraculous deliverance. Surely God's earlier work would be remembered and held up as a present appeal in distress.

Earlier I noted the theme of the righteous man suffering and being delivered by God in the Psalms. Of course this theme is not limited to psalmic literature, but is found often in the OT. But for us it's prominent because David's life was full of violent struggle, often against incredible circumstances, including betrayal by former comrades, and in his struggles "we see Jesus", who was seen as the coming royal seed of David, the promised deliverer. David's victories pointed to Christ's victory over death, which became the salvation for all who were under the curse of death. Therefore, these poetic songs, told in great detail, especially inner detail ("I love You, LORD" -- Psa 18:1), become referent points to our Father.