Read
(By Asaph for the music leader.)
God Makes Us Strong
1Be happy and shout to God
who makes us strong!
Shout praises to the God
of Jacob.
2Sing as you play tambourines
and the lovely sounding
stringed instruments.
3 Sound the trumpets and start
the New Moon Festival.
We must also celebrate
when the moon is full.
4This is the law in Israel,
and it was given to us
by the God of Jacob.
5The descendants of Joseph
were told to obey it,
when God led them out
from the land of Egypt.
In a voice unknown to me,
I heard someone say:
6“I lifted the burden
from your shoulder
and took the heavy basket
from your hands.
7 When you were in trouble,
I rescued you,
and from the thunderclouds,
I answered your prayers.
Later I tested you
at Meribah Spring.
8“Listen, my people,
while I, the Lord,
correct you!
Israel, if you would only
pay attention to me!
9 Don't worship foreign gods
or bow down to gods
you know nothing about.
10I am the Lord your God.
I rescued you from Egypt.
Just ask, and I will give you
whatever you need.
11“But, my people, Israel,
you refused to listen,
and you would have nothing
to do with me!
12So I let you be stubborn
and keep on following
your own advice.
13“My people, Israel,
if only you would listen
and do as I say!
14I, the Lord, would quickly
defeat your enemies
with my mighty power.
15Everyone who hates me
would come crawling,
and that would be the end
of them.
16But I would feed you
with the finest bread
and with the best honey
until you were full.”
Reflect
The worship leader starts (vv 1-5b) by calling the congregation to enthusiastic praise of God during a new moon festival (the first day of the month) as well as during the full moon (on the fifteenth day). The reference to the latter may point toward the Festival of Tabernacles (or Ingathering) since it started at that time in the seventh month and, while originally an agricultural festival, came to be a time to celebrate the Exodus and God’s provision for them during the wilderness wandering (Leviticus 23:42-43). Such exuberance should mark all our worship of God. While the Israelites could look back on God’s dramatic rescue from bondage in Egypt, we look back to Jesus’ victory over sin and death on the cross.
The psalm continues with a divine oracle. God himself speaks in the remainder of the poem and first of all reminds his people how he rescued them from their slavery in Egypt, but then sadly reports how they responded by worshipping false gods. Such behavior keeps God from blessing them, so he calls them back to worship him and him alone. If they do, then God will defeat their enemies and provide them with the finest foods.
As we read this psalm, we should be reminded of God’s great acts on our behalf and also of our tendency to worship “false gods.” Our idols are typically not like the idols of the ancients. We tend to worship money, work, relationships, and pleasure. Ultimately we tend to put ourselves first in life rather than God. This psalm is a powerful reminder that we will find satisfaction only when we put God first.
Respond
O God, you are our God. Keep us from false gods, putting anything or anyone in place of you in our lives. God we praise you for your great act of redemption in our lives, saving us from sin, guilt, and death. We love you Lord. Amen.
Tremper Longman III
Dr. Tremper Longman III (B.A. Ohio Wesleyan University; M.Div. Westminster Theological Seminary; M.Phil. and Ph.D. Yale University) is Distinguished Scholar and Professor Emeritus of Biblical Studies at Westmont College. He has written over 30 books which have been translated into seventeen different languages. In addition, as a Hebrew scholar, he is one of the main translators of the popular New Living Translation of the Bible. His most recent book is How to Read Daniel. Tremper and Alice currently reside in Alexandria, VA and have three sons (Tremper IV, Timothy, Andrew) and four granddaughters (Gabrielle, Mia, Ava, and Emerson). For exercise, he enjoys playing squash.