Day 11: The Witness of the Past

Scripture: Psalm 77:10-15
"Then I said, “I will appeal to this, to the years of the right hand of the Most High.” ¹¹ I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your wonders of old. ¹² I will ponder all your work, and meditate on your mighty deeds. ¹³ Your way, O God, is holy. What god is great like our God ¹⁴ You are the God who works wonders; you have made known your might among the peoples. ¹⁵ You with your arm redeemed your people, the children of Jacob and Joseph." 

It’s not uncommon, after a disaster, to see people standing in front of what used to be their homes, surrounded by rubble, unsure of what comes next. But you don’t have to survive a natural disaster to know what a “day of trouble” feels like. Many of you have walked through seasons where life felt just as shaken.

What’s it like in a time of intense trouble? People have common symptoms, including anxiety and fear, hopeless, discouragement, being uneasy, headaches, body pain, exhaustion, unable to sleep, little to no appetite, numb, and a whole lot more.

Can any of you relate to these symptoms? Even for Christians, our faith is deeply tested. We may wonder where God is, and what He is doing. We may have questions about His goodness or His plan. We may wonder why He doesn’t step in to help.

Asaph knew what it was to wrestle with doubt. His heart was troubled, his mind was swirling, and God felt painfully silent. His questions echo the same whispers we face in our own “Saturday” seasons, those spaces between what God has promised and what we have yet to see. Doubt thrives in that space. It feeds on silence, uncertainty, and fear.

But Asaph refuses to let doubt have the final word. My hope today is that His hope will become your hope. But before we get there, even consider how well Asaph knows trouble. Spurgeon says, “Asaph was a man of exercised mind, and often touched the minor key; he was thoughtful, contemplative, believing, but withal there was a dash of sadness about him…to follow him with understanding, it is needful to have done business on great waters, and weathered many an Atlantic gale.”

Asaph knew what it was to suffer. He knew what it was to feel overwhelmed. And yet, in his turmoil, he found a place to anchor his soul. He doesn’t appeal to people, leaders, or circumstances. He appeals to the long record of God’s faithfulness. He chooses to rest his confidence in the proven character of the Lord, the One who never changes and never fails. By calling Him the Most High, Asaph reminds himself that God stands above every enemy, every situation, every circumstance—including the ones pressing on him, and the ones pressing on you.

In verses 11-12, Asaph determines to remember, ponder, and meditate on God’s deeds and wonders: “¹¹ I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your wonders of old.¹² I will ponder all your work, and meditate on your mighty deeds.”

Asaph does the work of what you could call a “covenantal archaeologist.” When doubt rises, Asaph reaches back. He anchors his trembling heart in the long record of God’s faithfulness. He remembers that the God who holds the past also holds the present. And by calling Him the Most High, Asaph reminds himself that God stands above every enemy, every circumstance, and every fear—including the ones pressing on him now. Unlike other kinds of archaeologists who can dig for months, years, and even decades with no assurance of success, Asaph in digging for past treasure, the “wonders of old,” is guaranteed to strike gold.

Martyn Lloyd-Jones offers eight deeply helpful truths for the believer who is remembering, pondering, and meditating on God’s deeds:

1. Conditions are always changing; therefore I must not be dependent upon conditions.
2. What matters supremely and vitally is my soul and my relationship to God - that is the first thing.
3. God is concerned about me as my Father, and nothing happens to me apart from God. Even the very hairs of my head are all numbered. I must never forget that.
4. God’s will and God’s ways are a great mystery, but I know that whatever He wills or permits is of necessity for my good.
5. Every situation in life is the unfolding of some manifestation of God’s love and goodness.
6. I must therefore regard circumstance and conditions, not in and of themselves therefore, but as a part of God’s dealings with me in the work of perfecting my soul and bringing me to final perfection.
7. Whatever my conditions may be at this present moment they are only temporary, and they are only passing, and they can never rob me of the joy and glory that ultimately await me with Christ.
8. In your suffering, you can rest your troubled heart in the God who works.

These truths steady the heart. They remind us that in suffering, we can rest our troubled souls in the God who works. So how do we, like Asaph, recount and anticipate God’s wondrous redemptive acts? Here are some practical ways to “dig” into the treasures of God’s faithfulness:

1. Remember that true satisfaction is found in the living water, not superficial comforts (Jeremiah 2:13; John 4:10).
2. Remember what is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, and commendable (Philippians 4:8), instead of replaying former things that deepen sadness.
3. Remember the salvation of God—the gospel that rescued you (2 Timothy 3:15).
4. Remember to hope in God, who fills His people with joy and peace (Romans 15:13; Ephesians 1:18; Colossians 1:5).
5. Remember that God is not a vague deity, but your God personally.
6. Remind yourself of God’s steadfast, unchangeable love throughout the day (Romans 8; Hebrews 6:13–20).
7. Remind yourself at night that God is with you, even in the dark (Psalm 139; Psalm 63:6).
8. Remember that God is your rock—unfailing and trustworthy.
9. Remember that a day is coming when God will right all wrongs and make all things new.
10. Remember the purpose of trials and suffering—God uses them to shape you (1 Peter 2:19; 2 Corinthians 1:3–5).

When trouble comes, and it will, anchor your heart in the God who has never failed His people. The same God who redeemed Jacob and Joseph, who split seas and shattered enemies, who raised Jesus from the dead, is the God who holds you today and who will have you tomorrow.

For us, the greatest “wonder of old” is the resurrection. Every act of deliverance in Scripture—every Red Sea, every rescue, every redemption—was pointing forward to the empty tomb. The resurrection is God’s loudest declaration that He has not abandoned His people. It is the ultimate proof that silence is not absence, that darkness is not defeat, and that every Saturday ends in a Sunday.

Pastor Josh

1. Where does doubt tend to rise most strongly in your life—God’s goodness, His presence, or His power—and how does remembering God’s past faithfulness speak directly to that doubt?
2. Asaph fought doubt by remembering God’s “wonders of old.” How does the resurrection function as the ultimate wonder that anchors your faith when circumstances feel like a “Saturday”?
3. Which of Lloyd‑Jones’ seven truths most challenges or comforts you right now, and how might holding onto that truth reshape the way you interpret your present suffering?