Welcome to Day 2700 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

Day 2700 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 81:8-16 – Daily Wisdom

Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2700

Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2700 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.

Today’s Wisdom Nugget is titled: The Heart's Hardness – A Plea for Unwavering Loyalty - Concluding Our Trek Through Psalm 81:8-16

Guthrie Chamberlain: Welcome back to Wisdom-Trek, your compass for navigating the profound landscapes of faith and life. I’m your guide, Guthrie Chamberlain, and today, we reach the powerful and poignant conclusion of our trek through Psalm 81 in the New Living Translation, encompassing its final verses, 8 through 16.

In our last conversation, we began Psalm 81 with a vibrant, celebratory call to worship, a joyful festival meant to be a perpetual reminder of God’s deliverance. The psalmist then recounted a dramatic shift to God's direct voice, recalling His mighty act of removing the "burden from your shoulders" and freeing Israel's "hands from their heavy baskets" of slavery in Egypt (Psalm 81:6). We heard how God answered their cry from the "hidden place of thunder," the awe-inspiring moment at Sinai when He gave them His law.

Now, God’s direct address continues, moving from a remembrance of His saving acts to a strong command for exclusive loyalty and a heartbreaking lament over His people's persistent disobedience. This section is a profound expression of God’s own heart, revealing His deep desire for a relationship of trust and His sorrow over their stubborn rebellion. It culminates in a beautiful, almost wistful, promise of the boundless blessings they would have received if only they had listened.

So, let's listen carefully, not just to the words, but to the yearning heart of God as He pleads with His people.

A Divine Demand for Exclusive Loyalty

(Reads Psalm 81:8-10 NLT)

"Listen to me, O my people, if you would only listen to me, O Israel! You must never have a foreign god; you must not worship a foreign god. For I am the Lord your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it with good things."

Guthrie Chamberlain: God’s voice begins with an urgent, repeated, and intimate plea: "Listen to me, O my people, if you would only listen to me, O Israel!" The repetition of "if you would only listen to me" expresses a profound, almost desperate desire for His people to pay attention. He is calling to them as "my people" and "Israel," using covenant names that signify their special, chosen relationship with Him. This is not the voice of a distant commander, but of a personal God who yearns for His people's attention and obedience.

The command that follows is absolute and foundational to their covenant: "You must never have a foreign god; you must not worship a foreign god." This is the first and second commandment of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:2-3). God demands exclusive loyalty and allegiance. In the ancient Near East, it was common for people to worship multiple gods, adding a new god to their pantheon whenever they encountered a new nation or experienced a new need. But God, the God of Israel, forbade this practice completely. He is not one god among many; He is the one true God, and He demands their sole worship. The existence of a "foreign god" was a direct violation of their covenant, a deep betrayal of their relationship. God’s command here is a direct confrontation with the kind of idolatry that was a constant temptation and a persistent sin for Israel, as recounted in so many of the historical psalms (like Psalm 78).

The reason for this exclusive loyalty is then given, rooted in God’s saving power: "For I am the Lord your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt." This is the definitive statement of God’s identity and His claim on their allegiance. "The Lord your God" (Yahweh Elohim) emphasizes His personal and powerful relationship with them. He is the one who took the initiative and "rescued you from the land of Egypt." This act of liberation was the basis for the covenant and the moral foundation for their obedience. They are to worship Him exclusively, not because He is just a strong god, but because He is their personal Deliverer who freed them from the bondage of slavery. He is the God of their salvation.

God then provides a beautiful and tender promise of provision that is contingent on their loyalty: "Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it with good things." This is a profound, almost parental, image. It signifies an overwhelming, abundant provision that is ready and waiting for them. "Open your mouth wide" is an invitation to ask, to trust, and to receive without limit. It implies that their lack is not due to God’s inability, but their own unwillingness to receive. If they would simply turn to Him and trust Him fully, He would fill them to overflowing with "good things" – blessings, sustenance, and well-being. This stands in stark contrast to their hunger in the wilderness, where they had to eat manna, the "food of angels," but still demanded more, refusing to trust in God's sufficiency (Psalm 78:24-25). Here, God promises to meet their every need.

This section presents a powerful divine demand for exclusive loyalty, grounded in God’s past redemptive acts and sealed with a promise of abundant provision.

God’s Lament and the Cost of Stubbornness

(Reads Psalm 81:11-16 NLT)

"But my people refused to listen to me; Israel would not obey. So I gave them up to their stubborn hearts, to go their own way. Oh, that my people would listen to me! Oh, that Israel would follow my ways! How quickly I would then subdue their enemies! How soon my hand would be against their foes! Those who hate the Lord would cringe before him; their punishment would last forever. But I would feed you with the finest of wheat; I would satisfy you with honey from the rock."

Guthrie Chamberlain: After the beautiful promise of provision, God’s voice turns to a heartbreaking lament over His people's rejection: "But my people refused to listen to me; Israel would not obey." The "But" here introduces a tragic reality. Despite God’s intimacy, His deliverance, His commands, and His promises, Israel made a choice. They "refused to listen" and "would not obey." This was not just a lapse of judgment, but a deliberate and persistent act of rebellion. This is the same pattern of unfaithfulness that Asaph so carefully recounted in Psalm 78, where Israel constantly rebelled despite God's mighty acts. Here, God Himself gives voice to His sorrow over that rebellion.

The consequence of this rebellion is a profound and painful act of divine judgment: "So I gave them up to their stubborn hearts, to go their own way." This is one of the most sobering statements in all of Scripture. God, in His righteousness, allows people to experience the consequences of their choices. He "gave them up," a painful release from His protective and guiding hand. The phrase "their stubborn hearts" (Hebrew: shir'shirut) literally means "the stubbornness of their heart," a strong idiom for a persistent, defiant will. God allows them to follow their own path, a path that He knows leads to ruin. This is not a malicious act from God, but a righteous consequence of their unyielding refusal to be guided by Him. It’s the ultimate expression of God’s sorrowful respect for their free will.

But the lament is immediately followed by a powerful, wistful, and almost heartbreaking expression of what could have been: "Oh, that my people would listen to me! Oh, that Israel would follow my ways!" The repetition of "Oh, that" (lu) expresses a deep and powerful yearning, a longing from the heart of God. He is not saying, "I wish they would so I could punish them." He is saying, "I wish they would so I could pour out my blessings on them." This is the voice of a longing Father who desperately desires a relationship of trust and obedience with His children, not for His own benefit, but for theirs.

God then details the blessings that would have been theirs if they had only listened: "How quickly I would then subdue their enemies! How soon my hand would be against their foes! Those who hate the Lord would cringe before him; their punishment would last forever." The first blessing is decisive victory. "How quickly" and "how soon" indicate that God’s response would be immediate and powerful. He would "subdue their enemies" and turn His mighty hand "against their foes." The enemies who hate the Lord (and, by extension, His people) would "cringe before him" (Hebrew: kashah, to cringe or feign submission), a powerful expression of their complete defeat. Their punishment would be eternal. This is a promise of a life free from oppression and constant threat, a promise of permanent peace and security under God’s protection.

The second blessing is one of miraculous, overflowing abundance: "But I would feed you with the finest of wheat; I would satisfy you with honey from the rock." God’s provision would not just be sufficient; it would be the "finest of wheat," the very best of sustenance. And the image of "honey from the rock" is a beautiful, almost impossible metaphor. Honey, a symbol of sweetness and blessing, does not come from a rock. This signifies a supernatural, unexpected, and delightful abundance. God would bring forth blessing even from barren, unlikely places. He would not just meet their needs; He would exceed them to an unimaginable degree, filling them with joy and sweetness. This is the profound contrast between what they had (a life of stubbornness and meager provision) and what they could have had (a life of obedience and overflowing blessing).

Psalm 81, in its entirety, is a masterful and poignant lesson in the power of obedience and the tragedy of stubbornness. It moves from a vibrant call to celebration, to a powerful reminder of God’s deliverance, and culminates in a heartbreaking plea from God for His people to listen, revealing His deep sorrow over their disobedience and the profound blessings they have missed.

What profound wisdom can we draw from these concluding verses for our Wisdom-Trek today?

Firstly, these verses remind us that God desires an exclusive, loyal relationship with us. We cannot serve God and "foreign gods" (whatever those idols may be in our lives today). He is our sole Deliverer, and He demands our sole devotion.

Secondly, God's promise to "give them up to their stubborn hearts" is a sober warning. When we persistently refuse to listen to God and go our own way, there comes a point where He may allow us to experience the painful consequences of that choice, for our ultimate good.

Thirdly, the heartbreaking refrain "Oh, that my people would listen to me!" reveals God's tender heart. He longs for our obedience not because He needs it, but because He knows it is the pathway to His protection, to His victory over our enemies, and to His overflowing, abundant blessing.

Finally, the promise of "finest of wheat" and "honey from the rock" is an enduring promise of God’s intention for His people. He wants to give us the best, to satisfy us with supernatural blessings that defy the imagination. All that is required is a listening heart, a willing spirit, and a commitment to follow His ways.

Let us heed the plea from the heart of God, choosing to listen and obey, so that we may not miss out on the blessings that are waiting for us.

Guthrie Chamberlain: Thank you for joining me on this profound trek through the conclusion of Psalm 81. I trust that this exploration of God's heart for His people has resonated with your own journey and equipped you to listen to His voice with a willing heart. Join me again next time as we begin a new segment of Wisdom-Trek, continuing to uncover the timeless truths of God's Word. Until then, keep moving forward, enjoy the journey, and create a great day! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, reminding you to Live Abundantly, Love Unconditionally, Listen Intentionally, Learn Continuously, Lend to others Generously, Lead with Integrity, and Leave a Living Legacy each day.