Sing for Joy to God
Study note
The psalm opens with a call to sing joyfully, play instruments, and blow the trumpet for the festival. This was a command God gave when he delivered Israel from Egypt.
1 Let out a joyful shout to God, our source of strength! Cheer loudly for the God of Jacob! Sing aloud unto God our strength: make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob.
2 Get the music going! Tap the tambourine! Play beautiful melodies on the harp and the lyre. Take a psalm, and bring hither the timbrel, the pleasant harp with the psaltery.
3 Sound the ram's horn when the new moon appears and again when the moon is full -- on our special celebration day. Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast day.
4 This is a rule for Israel to follow, a command straight from the God of Jacob. For this was a statute for Israel, and a law of the God of Jacob.
5 He set this up as a lasting guideline for Joseph when God went to work against Egypt. Then I heard a voice I had never heard before: This 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.
God Speaks to His People
Study note
God reminds Israel that he freed them from slavery, tested them at Meribah, and warned them not to worship foreign gods. He is the Lord who brought them out of Egypt.
6 "I took the heavy load off their shoulders. I set their hands free from carrying those baskets of bricks." I removed his shoulder from the burden: his hands were delivered from the pots.
7 "When you were in deep trouble, you called out, and I came to your rescue. I answered you from inside the thundercloud. I put you to the test at the waters of Meribah. Selah." Thou 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.
8 "Listen carefully, my people, and I will give you a serious warning. Israel, if only you would pay attention to me!" Hear, O my people, and I will testify unto thee: O Israel, if thou wilt hearken unto me;
9 "You must never have any other god. Do not bow down to any god except me." There shall no strange god be in thee; neither shalt thou worship any strange god.
10 "I am the Lord your God. I am the one who brought you up out of Egypt. Open your mouth as wide as you can, and I will fill it." I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.
If Only My People Would Listen
Study note
God's heart breaks because his people would not listen. He let them follow their stubborn hearts. He longs for them to walk in his ways — then he would feed them with the finest wheat and honey from the rock.
11 "But my people refused to listen to my voice. Israel simply would not follow me." But my people would not hearken to my voice; and Israel would none of me.
12 "So I let them go their own stubborn way and chase after their own ideas." So I gave them up unto their own hearts' lust: and they walked in their own counsels.
13 "Oh, how I wish my people would listen! If only Israel would walk on the road I have laid out for them!" Oh that my people had hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my ways!
14 "I would crush their enemies in no time and turn my power loose against every one of their foes." I should soon have subdued their enemies, and turned my hand against their adversaries.
15 "The people who hate the Lord would cower before him, and their punishment would never end." The haters of the LORD should have submitted themselves unto him: but their time should have endured for ever.
16 "But I would serve Israel the very best wheat. I would treat you to sweet honey flowing right out of the rock." He should have fed them also with the finest of the wheat: and with honey out of the rock should I have satisfied thee.