April 3
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OH, THAT MY PEOPLE WOULD LISTEN TO ME
Sing aloud to God our strength; shout for joy to the God of Jacob!
2 Raise a song; sound the tambourine, the sweet lyre with the harp.
3 Blow the trumpet at the new moon, at the full moon, on our feast day.
4 For it is a statute for Israel, a rule of the God of Jacob.
5 He made it a decree in Joseph when he went out over the land of Egypt.
I hear a language I had not known: 6 “I relieved your shoulder of the burden;
Your hands were freed from the basket. 7 In distress you called, and I delivered you;
I answered you in the secret place of thunder; I tested you at the waters of Meribah.
8 Hear, O my people, while I admonish you! O Israel, if you would but listen to me!
– Psalm 81:1-8
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The ESV study bible’s commentary on Psalm 81 says that this psalm resembles the Old Testament prophets’ oracles, so perhaps it is best to think of it a s a prophetic hymn. The primary function of the Old Testament prophets is to challenge God’s people to covenant faithfulness. They tell of covenant blessings or punishments that will come depending on the people’s response.
The new moon and full moon are the beginning and middle of months in ancient Israel. This may show that the psalm was intended for the feast day of Trumpets (Lev 23:23-25), where the Israelites were instructed to have a sabbath-rest, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation and they shall not do any customary work on it; and shall offer an offering made by fire to the Lord.’” It may also be intended for the feast of Booths (Lev 23:33-36) where they shall dwell in booths for seven days so that the generations may know that God made the Israelites dwell in booths when he brought them out of the land of Egypt.
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ADORATION: Praise the Lord for being faithful to deliver his people
CONFESSION: May all believers heed God’s instructions and commandments.
THANKSGIVING: Let us be grateful for a God who provides all our needs and our salvation.
SUPPLICATION: May all of God’s people listen to all that God cautions them with.
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REFLECTION
• Why do many people not heed the admonishments of God?