Psalm 81 (KJV): But my people would not hearken my voice

From Psalms

Psalm 81
(For the director of music.  According to gittith.  Of Asaph.)
¹Sing aloud unto God our strength:
      make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob.
²Take a psalm, and bring hither the timbrel,
      the pleasant harp with the psaltery.

³Blow up the trumpet in the new moon,
      in the time appointed, on our solemn feast day.
⁴For this was a statute for Israel,
      and a law of the God of Jacob.
⁵This he ordained in Joseph for a testimony,
      when he went out through the land of Egypt:
      where I heard a language that I understood not.

⁶I removed his shoulder from the burden:
      his hands were delivered from the pots.
⁷Thou calledst in trouble, and I delivered thee;
      I answered thee in the secret place of thunder:
      I proved thee at the waters of Meribah.                Selah.

⁸Hear, O my people, and I will testify unto thee:
      O Israel, if thou wilt hearken unto me;
⁹There shall no strange god be in thee;
      neither shalt thou worship any strange god.
¹⁰I am the LORD thy God,
      which brought thee out of the land of Egypt:
      open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.

¹¹But my people would not hearken to my voice;
      and Israel would none of me.
¹²So I gave them up unto their own hearts' lust:
      and they walked in their own counsels.

¹³Oh that my people had hearkened unto me,
      and Israel had walked in my ways!
¹⁴I should soon have subdued their enemies,
      and turned my hand against their adversaries.
¹⁵The haters of the LORD should have submitted themselves unto him:
      but their time should have endured for ever.
¹⁶He should have fed them also with the finest of the wheat:
      and with honey out of the rock should I have satisfied thee.

When we are close to God it is much easier to maintain sobriety when we are farther from him.  Vice versa is true, when I find I am drifting closer to temptation and urges, I have drifted farther from God.  If we do not focus on His word and His will for us, if we try to control, or take back control, he will let us fail.  Sometimes it takes this failing to learn faith.

We sometimes we think God is reluctant to bless us, but that's never the case.  Maybe because you aren't as rich as a friend, don't have as big a house as your neighbor, or don't have as nice a car as your co-worker, he hasn't blessed you.  It may just feel that way because we have not surrendered to God's will.

I recently read the review of Psalm 81 by a "prosperity preacher."  In this review the preacher said, "God's desire is to give His people the finest of everything - then ask yourself what it is in your life, if anything, that is hindering God from blessing you with more than what you currently have."  There is some truth in this, however, this preacher was trying to say that if you give money to her "ministry" then you would prosper materially.  God doesn't want your money - that's not what this psalm is about.  Nor does God want to bless you with mere money.  Money is insignificant for God - God wants you.  He wants you to live for him and to serve him - and to serve his people, and to reflect his love.  In return, God will bless you with gifts that are priceless.  In return, you shall experience the gift of his love, you shall experience the gift of sobriety, you shall experience the gift of salvation and forgiveness.

Thanks for letting me share.