Psalm 81:1-10 “For the Chief Musician. On an instrument of Gath. By Asaph. Sing aloud to God, our strength! Make a joyful shout to the God of Jacob! Raise a song, and bring here the tambourine, the pleasant lyre with the harp. Blow the trumpet at the New Moon, at the full moon, on our feast day. For it is a statute for Israel, an ordinance of the God of Jacob. He appointed it in Joseph for a covenant, when he went out over the land of Egypt, I heard a language that I didn’t know. ‘I removed his shoulder from the burden. His hands were freed from the basket. You called in trouble, and I delivered you. I answered you in the secret place of thunder. I tested you at the waters of Meribah.’ Selah. ‘Hear, my people, and I will testify to you, Israel, if you would listen to me! There shall be no strange god in you, neither shall you worship any foreign god. I am the LORD, your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.’ “

God is to be praised! Even when He has hard words for His people (as we’ll see later), He is still glorious and magnificent. He called the Israelites, gave them His law, and brought them out of slavery. Who else should they worship?!?!?! Who else should they follow?!?!?!?! Yet we have a hint of how they continually tried God’s patience, which is taken up in the rest of the Psalm.

Exodus 17:7 “He called the name of the place Massah, and Meribah, because the children of Israel quarreled, and because they tested the LORD, saying, ‘Is the LORD amongst us, or not?’ ”

If we know Jesus, and believe that He’s set us free from the penalty of sin and death, how can we not worship God?

For additional worship: Joyful Joyful We Adore Thee (Reawaken Hymns)