Read Psalm 81
For the director of music. According to gittith. Of Asaph.
1 Sing for joy to God our strength;
shout aloud to the God of Jacob!
2 Begin the music, strike the timbrel,
play the melodious harp and lyre.
3 Sound the ram’s horn at the New Moon,
and when the moon is full, on the day of our festival;
4 this is a decree for Israel,
an ordinance of the God of Jacob.
5 When God went out against Egypt,
he established it as a statute for Joseph.
I heard an unknown voice say:
6 “I removed the burden from their shoulders;
their hands were set free from the basket.
7 In your distress you called and I rescued you,
I answered you out of a thundercloud;
I tested you at the waters of Meribah.
8 Hear me, my people, and I will warn you—
if you would only listen to me, Israel!
9 You shall have no foreign god among you;
you shall not worship any god other than me.
10 I am the Lord your God,
who brought you up out of Egypt.
Open wide your mouth and I will fill it.
11 “But my people would not listen to me;
Israel would not submit to me.
12 So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts
to follow their own devices.
13 “If my people would only listen to me,
if Israel would only follow my ways,
14 how quickly I would subdue their enemies
and turn my hand against their foes!
15 Those who hate the Lord would cringe before him,
and their punishment would last forever.
16 But you would be fed with the finest of wheat;
with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”
Go Deeper
When life gets overwhelming, it can be hard to remember how big our God is and how He will watch over and protect us. It seems as though our battles are too big for our God, that He cannot shine through the darkness that surrounds us. However, in Psalm 81:10-16, the author, Asaph, reminds us of how our God can fight our battles as long as we listen and trust in Him.
Whether it is financial struggles, academic struggles, or hardships with family and friends, the Lord tells us He will provide for us, as long as we submit to Him and know He is Lord. In verse 7, the Lord reminds us that He will provide and rescue us whenever we call out in distress, just like He delivered His people from Pharaoh in Egypt (v. 10). The Lord is good, and wants to provide us with the blessing of taking our burdens and fighting for us.
However, in verses 13 and 14, he advises us to listen to God and seek Him through our struggles. In doing so, He will overcome our enemies and bear the burden we face alongside us. How often do we only give up the battles to God we think He can handle, rather than fully submitting to Him and giving Him everything? In our generation, we tend to crave control over every situation, causing our belief in Him to fight our biggest battles to diminish. However, this psalm proves that those who submit to Him with everything will be satisfied by how He combats our struggles (v. 16). Not only will He fight on your behalf in a general sense, but will help you overcome the specific sin struggle with which you’re wrestling since He satisfies us with His love and provision.
As you step into today, be reminded that the Lord is fighting for you every step of the way, through every battle and hardship. Submit fully to Him and trust that His provision on your life will satisfy you always. Seek Him and listen to His instruction through your everyday interactions and quiet time. He is working even when it feels difficult to believe it. Our battles may be too big for us to handle, but when giving everything to Him, He fights for us, knowing exactly what we need and fulfilling our lives in every way.
Questions
- What is one area in your life you want to see God transform?
- How have you submitted to Him in the past week?
- What is one characteristic of God that you need to remember today?
Pray This
Dear Lord,
Thank you for all you have done in our lives. Thank you for always remaining our rock in the hard times and reminding us of your faithfulness throughout the Bible. As we take on today, help us to keep our eyes on you, submitting everything we have to you. Let us give over all our troubles, as you prove yourself faithful and a loving Father. We love all you are doing in our lives and are grateful you sent your son to die on the cross so that we may have a relationship with you! In Jesus name, Amen.
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1 thought on “Psalm 81”
The opening of this Psalm makes me so grateful for what we do every week at HCBC as our incredible worship team leads us “to sing for joy to God our strength.” It is moving to gather and worship our God who is worthy of our praise, recalling his faithfulness in past, present and future. How incredible to know the same God who brought the Israelites out of bondage in Egypt with amazing signs & wonders is the very same God who is present in our lives! Selah! (Stop & ponder) Sadly, we are far more like the Israelites than we would care to admit. V8 says “Israel, if only you would listen to me!” God desires to bless his people and do good to them, if they would only listen and obey. Spurgeon says “Sin strips a man of his armor and leaves him naked to his enemies.” I don’t want to miss one opportunity to fulfill God’s plan by disobedience, for only he can truly satisfy my soul.