Psalm 81

 Psalm 81  "Sing for joy.. Shout joyfully.. Raise a song.. Blow the trumpet.. " These are the sounds of worship.. to honor the Lord, the God of Israel.. who delivered His people out of slavery and bondage.. into a land brimming with promise.. 

Yet, His people would not obey the statutes of God.. they would not listen to His voice.. They would not walk in His ways.. so they forfeited all His benefits..  all the grace that He would have lavished on them.  It is the same problem that plagues our world today.. the same sins that we all are in bondage to.. until He sets us free.. 

Look at what God did for His people and what He will do for all who will call on Him:

v6  He will relieve us from our burdens and free us from our worthless toil.. 

v7  He will hear us when we cry to Him and rescue us from the darkness... 

v8  He will prove us.. test us until we shine.. refine us like silver and gold, removing all impurities.. 

"Hear, O My people, and I will admonish you; O Israel, if you would listen to Me!"  

O the benefits of LISTENING to God! 

"Open your mouth wide and I will fill it!" v10

"I would quickly subdue [your] enemies, and turn My hand against [your] adversaries." v13

".. I would feed you with the finest of the wheat; and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you." v16

But, the people of Israel would not listen nor obey.  "So I gave them over to the stubbornness of their heart to walk in their own devices." (v11-12)

Paul wrote in Romans 1.. "For this reason, God gave them over to a depraved mind to do those things which are not proper, being filled with unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful.. " This is what happens when people walk "in their own devices".   

We see it plain as day.. in our news reports, in the television shows.. in our neighborhoods.. more and more it seems... 

Father in heaven, if not for Your patience.. for Your great mercy.. none could stand.  We are like Isaiah, crying, "Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips and I live among a people of unclean lips!"   For, You are holy.. and in You there is no darkness.. only Light!  Hallelujah!  We have all sinned and fallen short.. we freely confess.. but, O praise the Name of Jesus, we have been set free! We have cried out to You and You have heard us and delivered us!  You are at work in us, refining us, proving us.. filling us, feeding us.. satisfying us.  Thank You, gracious God and Father, Jesus Christ, our King, and Holy Spirit, our Mighty Counselor.  Guide us continually into Your Presence, that we might sing for joy, shout joyfully to You.. raising our songs of praise to the glory of Your Name. Amen