The Desire of Delight

Psalm 81:8-16 (NLT):

"Listen to me, O my people, while I give you stern warnings. O Israel, if you would only listen! You must never have a foreign god; you must not bow down before a false god. For it was I, the LORD your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it with good things. But no, my people wouldn't listen. Israel did not want me around. So I let them follow their blind and stubborn way, living according to their own desires. But oh, that my people would listen to me! Oh, that Israel would follow me, walking in my paths! How quickly I would then subdue their enemies! How soon my hands would be upon their foes! Those who hate the LORD would cringe before him; their desolation would last forever. But I would feed you with the best of foods. I would satisfy you with wild honey from the rock."

Reflection:

Psalm 81 offers a powerful reminder of the intimate relationship God desires with His people and the consequences of either embracing or rejecting that relationship. The language used by the psalmist is not merely poetic but is deeply rooted in the covenantal relationship between God and Israel—a relationship marked by God's deliverance, provision, and protection.

The Call to Listen:

The opening verses (8-10) set the stage with a plea from God: “Listen to me, O my people…” The tone is both urgent and compassionate. God isn’t just issuing a command; He is calling His people back to a life of abundance and blessing. The command to “never have a foreign god” is a reminder that God alone is the source of true life and fulfillment. In ancient Israel, foreign gods represented not just spiritual rebellion but also a turning away from the life-giving covenant with Yahweh. In modern terms, these foreign gods can be seen as anything that takes priority over our relationship with God—be it material wealth, personal ambitions, or societal norms that conflict with God’s will.

The Promise of Fulfillment:

The imagery in verse 10, “Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it with good things,” is rich with promise. It suggests an invitation to partake in the abundance that God provides, but it requires a posture of openness and trust. This isn’t about passive reception but an active, eager anticipation of what God will do. God’s desire to fill our lives with good things is a recurring theme in Scripture, but it’s contingent upon our willingness to receive. This echoes the sentiment found in Matthew 7:7-11, where Jesus teaches that God, like a loving Father, desires to give good gifts to His children.

The Tragedy of Resistance:

However, the passage also deals with the tragedy of Israel’s refusal to listen (verses 11-12). God’s lament, “But no, my people wouldn’t listen. Israel did not want me around,” reveals a heartbroken God who respects human freedom even when it leads to self-destruction. The consequence of Israel’s stubbornness is that they are left to follow their own desires—desires that lead them away from the true source of life and into a path of emptiness. This is a powerful reminder that when we insist on our own way, rejecting God’s guidance, we end up enslaved to lesser things that can never satisfy the deep longings of our souls.

The Longing of God’s Heart:

Verses 13-16 express God’s deep longing for His people to return to Him. The repetition of “Oh, that my people would listen to me!” underscores God’s desire for a relationship based on obedience and trust. If Israel were to turn back, God promises swift deliverance from their enemies and blessings that go beyond mere survival—“I would feed you with the best of foods. I would satisfy you with wild honey from the rock.” The imagery here is one of extraordinary provision—wild honey symbolizes something rare and delightful, found in unexpected places.

Application:

In our own lives, this psalm challenges us to examine the "foreign gods" we might be serving, knowingly or unknowingly. Are we pursuing desires that lead us away from God’s best for us? Are we resisting His call to open our mouths wide to receive His goodness?

To open our mouths wide to God means to live in a posture of expectation and submission. It’s about being willing to trust that His ways, though they may require humility and surrender, lead to a life of true delight. It is a reminder that God’s blessings are not just about material prosperity but about the richness of a life lived in communion with Him—a life where even the unexpected, like honey from a rock, becomes a source of deep satisfaction.

Conversely, to follow our own desires, rejecting God’s guidance, leads to a life of spiritual malnourishment. We become poor gods to ourselves, always striving but never truly fulfilled. The psalmist’s words challenge us to choose wisely, to open ourselves to God’s abundant provision rather than settle for the hollow promises of self-reliance.

Psalm 81 is both a warning and a promise. It warns us of the dangers of turning away from God, but it also promises the incredible delights that come from walking in His ways. The desire of delight is found not in the pursuit of our own desires but in the submission to God’s will, where He fills our lives with the best of things, even from the most unexpected places. It is indeed a delicious life with Him—a life where true joy and satisfaction are found in His presence.