Psalms 77:10

Then I said, “I am sickened by the thought that the sovereign One ¹  might become inactive. ² 

Then I thought, "To this I will appeal: the years of the right hand of the Most High."

Then I said, "It is my grief, That the right hand of the Most High has changed."

And I said, "This is my fate, that the blessings of the Most High have changed to hatred."

"Just my luck," I said. "The High God goes out of business just the moment I need him."

And I said, It is a weight on my spirit; but I will keep in mind the years of the right hand of the Most High.

And I say, "It is my grief that the right hand of the Most High has changed."

And I said, "This is my anguish; But I will remember the years of the right hand of the Most High."

Then I said, “I am sickened by the thought that the sovereign One ¹  might become inactive. ² 

¹ tn Heb “Most High.” This divine title (עֶלְיוֹן, ’elyon) pictures God as the exalted ruler of the universe who vindicates the innocent and judges the wicked. See especially Pss 7:17; 9:2; 18:13; 21:7; 47:2.

² tc Heb “And I said, ‘This is my wounding, the changing of the right hand of the Most High.’” The form חַלּוֹתִי (khallotiy) appears to be a Qal infinitive construct (with a first person singular pronominal suffix) from the verbal root חָלַל (khalal, “to pierce; to wound”). The present translation assumes an emendation to חֲלוֹתִי (khalotiy), a Qal infinitive construct (with a first person singular pronominal suffix) from the verbal root חָלָה (khalah, “be sick, weak”). The form שְׁנוֹת (shÿnot) is understood as a Qal infinitive construct from שָׁנָה (shanah, “to change”) rather than a plural noun form, “years” (see v. 5). “Right hand” here symbolizes by metonymy God’s power and activity. The psalmist observes that his real problem is theological in nature. His experience suggests that the sovereign Lord has abandoned him and become inactive. However, this goes against the grain of his most cherished beliefs.