John Calvin Commentary Psalms 77:3

"I remember God, and am disquieted: I complain, and my spirit is overwhelmed. Selah" — Psalms 77:3 (ASV)

I will remember God, and will be troubled. The Psalmist here employs a variety of expressions to express the intensity of his grief and, at the same time, the greatness of his affliction. He complains that what constituted the only remedy for alleviating his sorrow became a source of unease for him.

It may, indeed, seem strange that the minds of true believers should be troubled by remembering God. But the meaning of the inspired writer is simply that even though he thought about God, his distress of mind was not removed. It undoubtedly often happens that the remembrance of God in times of adversity aggravates the anguish and trouble of the godly, for example, when they entertain the thought that he is angry with them.

The prophet, however, does not mean that his heart was thrown into new distress and unease whenever God came to his mind: he only laments that no consolation came from God to provide him relief; and this is a trial that is very hard to bear. It is not surprising to see the wicked tormented with dreadful mental agony; for, since their primary goal and effort is to depart from God, they must suffer the punishment they deserve because of their rebellion against him.

But when the remembrance of God, from which we seek to draw consolation for lessening our calamities, does not provide rest or peace to our minds, we are ready to think that he is toying with us. Nevertheless, we are taught from this passage that however much we may experience worry, sorrow, and unease, we must persevere in calling upon God even in the midst of all these hindrances.