This Psalm calls people to remember and rejoice in the victory that God granted them. The Bible refers to these celebrations as the Feast of Trumpets or the Feast of Tabernacles. These festivals were observed as God’s statute, commemorating the day God delivered His people from slavery in Egypt. Do we follow all of God’s statutes as diligently as we observe the festivals?
The answer is no, because many of His statutes challenge our daily lives, whereas celebrating festivals comes naturally to us. We gladly embrace festivities, even associating the birth of Jesus with the term “Merry” Christmas. Festivals, though intended to express gratitude and joy—whether for victory in battle, the start of a new year, or thanksgiving for God’s blessings—can become a snare. Over time, their true meaning is overshadowed by human indulgence and excess. However, this Psalm highlights God’s joy in blessing those who truly honour and adore Him.
A Call To Worship
Sing for joy to God our strength; shout aloud to the God of Jacob!
Begin the music, strike the timbrel, play the melodious harp and lyre.
Sound the ram’s horn at the New Moon, and when the moon is full, on the day of our festival; – Psalms 81:1-3 (NIV)
Nehemiah declared, “The joy of the Lord is my strength,” and we can experience this strength by joyfully singing praises to God. The Psalmist first calls all of Israel to worship and then prepares the Levites to lead the congregation with the harp and lyre. The mention of the timbrel indicates that their worship involves not only singing but also joyful dancing.
In the Old Testament, priests blew trumpets, as demonstrated during Jericho’s fall. The ram’s horn, or Shofar (Psalm 98:6), and the trumpet symbolize victory for God’s people when they wholeheartedly worship Him with songs and Psalms.
God’s victory was traditionally celebrated by His people on special occasions such as the new moon, full moon, and other such festivals. The new moon was often regarded as an inauspicious day, leading people to seek God amid the darkness. Today, however, we primarily celebrate God’s victory on Easter, rarely reflecting on His glorious resurrection and triumph over death throughout the year. We tend to give thanks to God only on specific occasions like birthdays and anniversaries, forgetting the new grace He bestows upon us each morning. While the first day of January holds special significance for many, they often overlook the fresh grace God provides every single day.
God Remains Unknown To People
this is a decree for Israel, an ordinance of the God of Jacob.
When God went out against Egypt, he established it as a statute for Joseph.
I heard an unknown voice say: “I removed the burden from their shoulders;
their hands were set free from the basket. In your distress you called and I rescued you, I answered you out of a thundercloud;
I tested you at the waters of Meribah. – Psalms 81:4-7 (NIV)
God established a decree for His people to remember the day they were freed from the bondage of slavery. This was meant to remind them of His love that lifted their burdens. However, instead of embracing their newfound freedom and fully committing themselves to God, they often longed to return to their previous life of slavery. Though they had heard of His mighty works in the days of their ancestors, God remained unknown to them—primarily because He is invisible. If He were visible, no one would dare to live as they do today.
In this fallen world, the evil one blinds the people from seeing God’s glory and understanding His message (2 Corinthians 4:4). Without a personal encounter with Him, His voice remains distant and never truly reaches the heart. Festivals, rituals, celebrations, and stories of God’s power often create a barrier between people and Him, as they observe these traditions without truly understanding their significance.
Hearing countless sermons or witnessing extraordinary miracles alone will not draw us closer to God. True transformation happens only when our lives become a testament to others, and miracles become an everyday manifestation of God’s presence. While miracles are often seen as rare events, for the people of God, His presence and mighty acts should be a regular and natural part of life.
A Gracious Offer
Hear me, my people, and I will warn you— if you would only listen to me, Israel!
You shall have no foreign god among you; you shall not worship any god other than me. I am the LORD your God, who brought you up out of Egypt.
Open wide your mouth and I will fill it. – Psalms 81:8-10 (NIV)
Our merciful God, despite the stubbornness of His people, continually calls them to listen to Him. He points out that their tendency to create idols and follow their own ideologies stems from a lack of interest in His Word. God assures us that if His people truly listened to His voice, they would never feel the emptiness that leads them to seek fulfilment in their religions and false beliefs.
Often, we are cleansed by His blood, and our hearts become pure, yet without His Word and truth, they remain empty. This emptiness becomes an invitation for the enemy, who then brings seven more harmful spirits to dwell within us (Luke 11:26). It may seem impossible to speak to a Holy God while under the influence of unclean spirits. Yet, with God, all things are possible. That is why He urges us to open our mouths and speak to Him, despite the opposition of the evil one. God Himself is ready to intercede with groanings beyond words (Romans 8:26). This promise remains available to all His people.
When we do not know how or what to pray, there is no need to seek out intermediaries—the Holy Spirit is ever present, ready to intercede for us. No matter where we are or what sinful state we find ourselves in God is always listening to us. The question remains: Will we open our mouths and allow the Holy Spirit to fill them, or will we let unclean spirits fill them with doubt and impurity?
Honey From the Rock
“But my people would not listen to me; Israel would not submit to me.
So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts to follow their own devices.
“If my people would only listen to me, if Israel would only follow my ways,
how quickly I would subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their foes!
Those who hate the LORD would cringe before him, and their punishment would last forever. But you would be fed with the finest of wheat; with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.” – Psalms 81:11-16 (NIV)
God highlighted the hardness of people’s hearts, questioning why they would not choose to live in peace, free from the threats of their enemies. At first glance, His love might seem conditional, yet in reality, it remains entirely unconditional. The condition lies not in God’s love but in the people’s willingness to choose Him. If they were forced to follow Him by His power alone, rather than by love, their devotion would be meaningless.
People had either witnessed or heard of Pharaoh’s downfall—how God used his free will to harden his heart, refusing to exchange his heart of stone for one of flesh. The Psalmist recalled how the Egyptians, who despised the Lord for delivering His people, ultimately trembled before Him. The Psalmist also pointed to an alternative path available to God’s people. The final verse of this Psalm echoes the song of Moses (Deuteronomy 32:13), where the Lord provided His people with sweet honey from the rock, drawn from the honeycombs of rugged cliffs.
Beyond its literal meaning, this imagery carries a deeper truth: God often leads His people through hardships so they may learn to extract the sweetest blessings from life. Walking and talking with Him, even amid the turmoil of this fallen world, transforms struggles into spiritual nourishment. Just as manna—the finest wheat—was provided in the wilderness, today we have the Living Word as our sustenance.
It is not enough to simply remember the day we were born again; we must continually experience the sweetness of His presence every day. This Psalm reassures us that the Holy Spirit is always available to intercede for us, speaking to the Father with groaning beyond words. Likewise, the Living Word, the finest wheat, is freely given to us. Will we respond by worshipping the Lord with all our hearts for His goodness?
Loving God, thank You for providing Your Son, the true bread of life, to strengthen our souls on the journey toward eternity. Thank You also for Your presence, which is sweeter than honey.
The Jordan Valley 
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