The Blessing You're Missing: A Call To Listen To The God Who Longs For You Series

Introduction: The Sound of Celebration

Good morning. We Filipinos know how to celebrate. Think of the sounds of a vibrant local fiesta—the loud music, the joyful shouts, the sense of community and celebration. It’s a wonderful part of our culture. Psalm 81 begins with this exact atmosphere of energetic, joyful celebration. It’s a call to a holy party.

The psalm starts with an instruction to "Sing aloud... make a joyful noise... Blow up the trumpet." But then, right in the middle of this loud and happy worship service, the music seems to stop, and a different voice cuts through the noise. It is the voice of God Himself. And His voice is not celebratory; it's filled with a deep, fatherly sorrow and longing.

This psalm is a divine interruption. It forces us to stop and ask a crucial question: Is our outward worship matched by an inward attentiveness to God's voice? It reveals God's loving call, humanity's tragic rejection, and the incredible blessings that hang in the balance.

I. The Call to Worship

The psalm begins with an explosive and passionate command to celebrate God with everything we have.

A. A Joyful and Loud Celebration

The instructions in verses 1-3 are clear: this is not a quiet, solemn, or half-hearted affair. It's a command to "Sing aloud... make a joyful noise... Take a psalm, and bring hither the timbrel, the pleasant harp... Blow up the trumpet." This is a full-orchestra, full-voice, passionate celebration of "God our strength." It shows us that God desires and delights in the joyful, exuberant praise of His people.

B. A Celebration Rooted in Remembrance

But why are they celebrating so loudly? This isn't just a party for its own sake. Verse 4 tells us it is a "statute for Israel" and an ordinance established to remember their deliverance from slavery in Egypt. Their worship is not based on fleeting emotions or current circumstances. It is firmly rooted in the historical fact of God's mighty act of salvation. They celebrate because they were set free.

II. The Voice of God

Just as the celebration reaches its peak, the voice abruptly shifts. God Himself interrupts the party to speak directly to His people, and His message is a heartbreaking mix of remembrance, rebuke, and longing.

A. A Reminder of His Salvation

First, God reminds them of who He is and what He has done for them. "I removed his shoulder from the burden: his hands were delivered from the pots" (v. 6). "You called in trouble, and I delivered you" (v. 7). Before He gives a command, He reminds them of His grace. He establishes His credentials not as a tyrant, but as their Savior.

B. A Heartbreaking Rejection

After reminding them of His grace, God recounts their response in verse 11, which is one of the saddest verses in the Bible: "But my people would not hearken to my voice; and Israel would have none of me." Can you feel the pain in those words? The God who broke their chains of slavery was rejected by them. They would not listen. They wanted none of Him.

C. The Tragic Consequence

What does God do in response to their stubbornness? Verse 12 is one of the most terrifying verses in the Bible: "So I gave them up unto their own hearts' lust: and they walked in their own counsels." In a frightening act of judgment, God gave them exactly what they wanted: the freedom to go their own way. He let them follow the desires and plans they thought were better than His, which ultimately led to their ruin.

D. The Longing of a Father's Heart

The psalm ends not with anger, but with God's poignant, sorrowful cry. Verse 13: "Oh that my people had hearkened unto me...!" This is the sound of a loving Father's broken heart. He then lists the incredible blessings they are missing out on because of their disobedience: He would have swiftly subdued their enemies, and He would have fed them with "the finest of the wheat" and satisfied them with "honey out of the rock" (vv. 14-16). They chose their own counsel and missed out on victory and the deepest satisfaction.

Conclusion: Will We Listen?

Psalm 81 presents us with a choice. We can have the loud, outward festival of religion, full of songs and celebration. Or we can have the deep, satisfying, victorious relationship that comes from truly listening to the voice of God.

God has delivered us through Jesus Christ. He has given us His commands for our good. And He longs to bless us with victory over our spiritual enemies and with the deep satisfaction that only He can give—the honey from the rock. The only thing standing in the way is often our own stubborn refusal to listen.