Psalm 81 - If Only You Would Listen

Introduction

Let me begin with an illustration: “He made free use of Christian vocabulary. He talked about the blessing of the Almighty and the Christian confessions which would become the pillars of the new government. He assumed the earnestness of a man weighed down by historic responsibility. He handed out pious stories to the press, especially to the church papers. He showed his tattered Bible and declared that he drew the strength for his great work from it as scores of pious people welcomed him as a man sent from God. Indeed, Adolf Hitler was a master of outward religiosity—with no inward reality!” [1] The world soon came to know who Adolf Hitler really was.

The question for us today is what is the nature of our worship? Does our singing and shouting match our living? Are we holy people truly or only in the sanctuary? We are going to explore this things as we examine Psalm 81.

Background

The background of this psalm appears to be one of the appointed feast of the LORD. According to the Preacher’s Outline and Sermon Bible: “The worship leader announced the occasion for this celebration: it was the scheduled time for the Feast of Booths or Feast of Tabernacles (v. 3). The blowing of the trumpet (shophar), a ram’s horn, announced the beginning of the festival season (Lev. 23:24). The new moon refers to the first day of the seventh month of the Jewish religious year, the month in which the Day of Atonement was observed (Lev. 23:23-32). The time appointed refers to the time of the full moon, which was when the Lord ordered the Feast of Tabernacles to be celebrated. Specifically, it was the fifteenth to twenty-second days of the month (Lev. 23:33-34).”[2] The setting is perhaps the northern kingdom. During the feast the word of the LORD comes to warn the people and call them to repentance. If the people would only listen they would experience the full blessing of Yahweh. We can break this psalm into 5 parts:

The call to celebration (vs. 1 - 3)

The command and reason for celebration (vs. 4 - 7)

The earnest plea to listen to Yahweh (vs. 8 - 10)

Judgment for Disobedience (vs. 11 - 12)

Another plea to and promises for listening to the Lord (vs. 13 - 16)

Exposition

Verses 1 - 3: The psalmist begins by calling all Israel to sing praise to God. There are to come near to worship the God that provides for their continued existence. Joyful worship is due to Him. In addition to singing, there is to be the skillful playing of instruments. There is a feast going one. A celebration of God’s past acts on behalf on His people.

Verses 4 - 7: This celebration takes place because Israel’s God has commanded it. It is a perpetual ordinance for the nation of Israel. When they celebrate they are commemorating what the LORD did in Egypt. He freed His people for the bondage of Egyptian slavery. He brought to an end their burdensome toil and labor. He heard the cries of His people while in Egypt. He showed up and saved them. He then tested them that they may learn to trust in Him. He brought them to His holy mountain where His voice was like thunder from heaven.[2] Yet know something have changed, for the worse, in Israel.

Verses 8 - 10: Yawheh, the God of Israel, now pleads with His people to hear His words of correction. He calls for them to give heed to what He is about to say. Idol worship has come into the northern kingdom and the people are being unfaithful to their creator and redeemer. The LORD calls His people back to Him, declaring there should be no false gods of among. They must put away the gods of the nations around them and return to the one true God. He reminds them it was He, Yawheh the LORD of hosts, who brought them up out of Egypt. He met and stands ready to meet their physical and spiritual needs.

Verses 11 - 12: Yet Israel would not listen. They would not give heed to His people of obey His covenant. They went after false gods and carnal pleasures instead of Yahweh’ far greater goodness. Therefore the LORD brought terrible judgment. He allowed them to walk as their wicked hearts desired. He gave their evil to consume them and He judged them. This is a terrible judgment, to be left to the mercy of the sins that pursue us. Yet Israel brought this on itself via its disobedience.

Verses 13 - 16: But Israel’s God is merciful. He is a gracious God full of compassion and love for His covenant people. And so He calls His people to follow Him. The exhorts them to trust and obey. He declares that their enemies would see destruction by His might hand. Those who hate Israel, and her God by extension, would come to permanent ruin. God’s people by contrasts would know His tender loving care. All their need would be meet and they would fellowship with their God forever and ever.

Bibliography

[1] Galaxie Software. (2002). 10,000 Sermon Illustrations. Biblical Studies Press.

[2] Psalms II, (Chattanooga, TN: Leadership Ministries Worldwide, 2015), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, Under: "Psalm 81".

[3] VanGemeren, W. A. (2008). Psalms. In T. Longman III & D. E. Garland (Eds.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Psalms (Revised Edition) (Vol. 5, p. 619). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.