Psalm 81 was written about God’s goodness and Israel’s waywardness… or behavior of going astray from God and pursuing ungodly things. God established Israel and provided for them through many mighty deeds and yet they continued to stray from Him to chase false gods and selfish pursuits. A Psalm like this one could very easily be written about the USA with a few minor changes to the historical references such as “coming out of Egypt”. Jehovah blessed our Christian nation at its birth and yet we as a nation continue to stray from God.
As a result of our rejection of Him as a nation, He gives us over to the stubbornness of our hearts and we now walk in our own devices… an immoral society overrun by sin which is normalized throughout the land. Many gods are worshipped… money, sex, power, sports, status, and perhaps most of all self. Coveting is the national pastime for many, always lusting after what others have rather than finding contentment with what God has provided.
For the choir director; on the Gittith. A Psalm of Asaph.
1Sing for joy to God our strength;
Shout joyfully to the God of Jacob.
2Raise a song, strike the timbrel,
The sweet sounding lyre with the harp.
3Blow the trumpet at the new moon,
At the full moon, on our feast day.
4For it is a statute for Israel,
An ordinance of the God of Jacob.
5He established it for a testimony in Joseph
When he went throughout the land of Egypt.
I heard a language that I did not know:
6“I relieved his shoulder of the burden,
His hands were freed from the basket.
7“You called in trouble and I rescued you;
I answered you in the hiding place of thunder;
I proved you at the waters of Meribah.
8“Hear, O My people, and I will admonish you;
O Israel, if you would listen to Me!
9“Let there be no strange god among you;
Nor shall you worship any foreign god.
10“I, the LORD, am your God,
Who brought you up from the land of Egypt;
Open your mouth wide and I will fill it.
11“But My people did not listen to My voice,
And Israel did not obey Me.
12“So I gave them over to the stubbornness of their heart,
To walk in their own devices.
13“Oh that My people would listen to Me,
That Israel would walk in My ways!
14“I would quickly subdue their enemies
And turn My hand against their adversaries.
15“Those who hate the LORD would pretend obedience to Him,
And their time of punishment would be forever.
16“But I would feed you with the finest of the wheat,
And with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”
Pray for revival personally, in your family, in your local church, in your state, in the nation and across the world. Live out the revival in your daily life. Pray, study, spend time with our Lord. Ask for His guidance in your life and be prepared to give up your desires and your plans in favor of His. You may well find that what you desire was never really yours to begin with but only that which our culture indoctrinated you to pursue. What He wants for us is much better.
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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? Are you living today filled with the peace and joy of truly knowing and following Jesus Christ? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.