May 24
________________________________________
PSALM 81 AFTERMATH OF STUBBORNNESS
11 “But my people did not listen to my voice;
Israel would not submit to me.
12 So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts,
to follow their own counsels.
13 Oh, that my people would listen to me,
that Israel would walk in my ways!
14 I would soon subdue their enemies
and turn my hand against their foes.
15 Those who hate the LORD would cringe toward him,
and their fate would last forever.
16 But he would feed you with the finest of the wheat,
and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.” – Psalm 81:11-16
________________________________________
CONSEQUENCE OF STUBBORN HEARTS by ILMA
When you do not listen to the voice of the Lord
You are probably corrupted and consumed by this world
He gave us everything so we can serve and glorify him
But the world we live in entices us to disobey and sin
When you hear God’s voice today, harden not your hearts
The consequence of such stubbornness will tear you apart
The Lord promised his covenant people his protection
But when you do not follow him, you are on your own
Those who hate the Lord, watch out, for you will regret it
The consequence of stubborn hearts will bring you down the pit
Our God Almighty will not force you to walk in his ways
If you resist, he will leave you in your own stubbornness
Those who submit to the Lord will reap a harvest of rewards
They will be protected, rescued and be assured of deliverance.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• How is rebellion and stubborn hearts like witchcraft or divination as 1 Samuel 15:23 mentions?
Tag Archives: Psalm 81
PSALM 81 OH ISRAEL IF YOU WOULD BUT LISTEN TO ME!
May 23
________________________________________
PSALM 81 OH ISRAEL IF YOU WOULD BUT 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. Selah
8 Hear, O my people, while I admonish you! O Israel, if you would but listen to me!
9 There shall be no strange god among you; you shall not bow down to a foreign god.
10 I am the LORD your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.
Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it. – Psalm 81:1-10
________________________________________
GOD ADMONISHES HIS PEOPLE by ILMA
All you covenant people, sing out loud and joyfully praise the God of Jacob
He brought you out of the land of Egypt and delivered you from the evil one
He led you out of bondage into a land of freedom so you can give him glory
He decreed you to follow his commands; but you wouldn’t heed his warnings
He commanded pure allegiance to him alone and no other gods idolized
Yet, you bowed down and worshiped some of these gods who are powerless.
Have you forgotten all that God has done to free you from slavery?
How long will you continue to be untrue to a God who loves you faithfully?
He has chosen you to serve him and have showered you with blessings
Why have you turned your back on the Lord God who is just and is so giving?
All you people of God, confess and turn from your evil ways and be cleansed
The Lord admonishes those whom he loves so he can be worshiped and praised.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• How did Asaph illustrate God in the following passages in this prophetic hymn?
• Why would a majestic God sound almost like pleading his people in this psalm?
I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD! ILMA’S VLOG
April 4
________________________________________
I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD!
9 There shall be no strange god among you; you shall not bow down to a foreign god.
10 I am the LORD your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.
Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it. 11 “But my people did not listen to my voice;
Israel would not submit to me.12 So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts,
To follow their own counsels.13 Oh, that my people would listen to me,
That Israel would walk in my ways! 14 I would soon subdue their enemies
And turn my hand against their foes.
15 Those who hate the LORD would cringe toward him, and their fate would last forever.
16 But he would feed you with the finest of the wheat,
And with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”– Psalm 81:9-16
________________________________________
This second half of this psalm written by Asaph is a reminder to the Israelites that the Lord is a God who is jealous and wouldn’t want any competition. This psalm recalls the proofs that God presents to his people. Asaph reminds them of what God has done for all of them. He delivered them out of Egypt, fed them and provided their needs. Despite all of what God has done, the Israelites didn’t listen to God and continued to have stubborn hearts and followed their own ways. The Lord turned them over to their hardened hearts. Despite all the promised he gave to his people, they still continued with their disobedience.
How easily do we forget that there is only one powerful God who doesn’t want any other idols consuming his own people. He wants loyalty for he is faithful and steadfast in his love for us. In the midst of a global pandemic, isn’t God admonishing us to heed his call and follow his commands? We have been all so busy with modern day idols that we have forgotten who has given us all things and delivered us from evil.
________________________________________
ADORATION: Bless the Lord who reproves his people and save them.
CONFESSION: Forgive us for not making you the center of our lives.
THANKSGIVING: Thank you for the reproof to heed your call Lord.
SUPPLICATION: May all of God’s people give up stubborn and hard hearts.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• Why do humans forget that God is the only one in control of their lives?
OH, THAT MY PEOPLE WOULD LISTEN TO ME ILMA’S VLOG
April 3
________________________________________
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
________________________________________
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.
________________________________________
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.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• Why do many people not heed the admonishments of God?