DO WE UNDERSTAND?
Psalm 81: 1-5
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A PRESBYTERIAN PSALTER - by Pastor Max A Forsythe |
On one occasion I was asked to visit a family where a child was hearing voices. Quite a bit of time, energy and money had already been spent on the situation and the child in question had been placed in therapy for some time. Providentially I had heard of something like this before and I asked about the child's hearing and was informed that it was remarkable. The key problem seemed to be that the words were not always comprehended from the great distance they could be heard and the source of the voices to the child were not well understood. I think that the ear doctor had the clue, but the whole therapy approach certainly put the youngster in a foul mood whenever experts were involved in explaining what they assumed was going on. I had even been asked to come in for a possible exorcism! I noted that a small dose of corporeal punishment now and then might cure the quickly apparent brattiness that made family relationships difficult, provided that any punishment was carefully aimed at improving necessary behavior and in no way connected to the unusual hearing ability which the child must learn to deal with as any person must learn to deal with a specific gift or handicap.
The reason that I tell you this story is to focus our thoughts on this section of Psalm 81 on the last phrase of verse five, which reads: "where we heard a language we did not understand". My commentators allow for three possible meanings of this phrase. Some writers believe that it looks back to Israel's time in Egypt where the strange voices of the world are little appreciated and not understood. Others believe that this phrase introduces the spoken revelation of God which follows after these introductory verses. Some even believe that these words indicate the confusion of the author who has not understood everything He has been given by the Spirit. Interestingly, one of my more liberal commentaries suggests the truth here - that God Himself will speak even if those who hear do not at first understand. By hearkening back to the going out of Joseph's descendants from Egypt, the psalmist well understands their stubborn unconverted hearts and their dull minds which have much to learn through the long forty year journey ahead.
Now in order to have heard the little comprehended words, the former slaves must be invited to a place where they may hear God's voice. So it is that this psalm opens with a call to worship and an injunction that worship is a statutory requirement. Certainly the Old Covenant community had a multitude of ceremonial days which we are free from in the administration of the New Covenant. I have always been taught that by statute we are only expected to set aside one day a year for Thanksgiving beyond the necessary weekly observance of the Lord's Day. Spurgeon observes that far too much of the Christian Church feels obligated to a multitude of Christian festivals that relate more to the pagan calendar than they do to the worship of our Triune God.
While the Old Testament community had a few more obligations, the festival enjoined here is unknown for certain. Suffice it to say, that the Old Covenant Church was expected like the New Covenant Church to gather regularly for the solemn worship of our God and King. And in that worship the testimony of verse five, as the older translation has it, would be the message implicit in Joseph's coming to Egypt and in the sons of Joseph at their leaving Egypt at the time of the Exodus.
It is not without reason that we open our worship with the words of Scripture and then go on to sing with joy before the Lord as we prepare our hearts to hear His word read and simply explained. Of course, some of you may wonder if I am ever able to say anything simply? I have often been accused like Paul to speak more clearly in print than in public. I certainly do not try to be difficult, but my first obligation is to speak the truth of the Spirit revealed words of Scripture. And sometimes, certain people are not able to understand the clear record of revelation because their minds are dull or their hearts given to things other than the Lord of heaven. Perhaps, some of my phrases and words mean more to specific people and little to others. Be that as it may, the key verse in this passage clearly implies that at first, the sacred words of God's revelation will be foreign to our worldly understanding and even as we grow in grace and comprehension, God's perfect word is still beyond the mental faculties of an unsaved pagan who has not the Spirit.
Many commentators on Biblical themes are equally confused and would be better to say that they haven't a clue. Unfortunately they are well understood by the world and there they find their true reward. One worldly writer in writing about "The Book of J" eventually was persuaded by admiring feminists to go ahead and identify Bathsheeba as the collator of ancient Israelite texts. If such nonsense was true, one wonders why she didn't go ahead and get rid of all the male nouns and pronouns so abhorrent to publishers who would please the worldly crowd today?
The clear invitation of our psalmist is that the worshiping community is much more likely to hear the God of this universe speak to them whenever they come together to praise, honor and glorify Him. If we would hear Him speak, we may sing psalms with joy in our hearts and assemble at the trumpet sound to give Him homage because He has ordained that we learn to do so.
One interesting translation possibility that not all of you will appreciate is in verse two. There is a possible sense that the to begin worship we should read "Play the Pipes". Words that only a Scot could appreciate! Talk about noise that few can comprehend! At least many of the instrumentation notes here are familiar to organists. When ever I have looked over the key board of a traditional organ, I have always been amazed at the vast range of instrumental sounds. The common organ has been meant for many centuries to sound the tones of the various instruments commonly listed in the psalter. One traditional instrument which has become virtually a whole orchestra. While much of the Christian church is focused solely on organ music, it must be remembered that wherever the skill is evident, more than one instrument and musician may certainly be involved.
It is just so much easier to play a keyboard. I once heard of an electric bagpipe with a small familiar key board instead of the complex fingering technique demanded for good piping. Isn't it providential that I was never able to acquire such an instrument and go on to fulfill the injunction of verse two!
In closing let us be thankful for those portions of God's word that we are able to comprehend for our salvation and for the building up of Christ's Church in our midst. And even as we grow in grace and understanding, let us never fail to realize that we hear Him speak because of His grace. Like the people in the desert wanderings, some supposed His voice to be mere thundering of the natural order. So it is today, many who little appreciate the moral implications of God's word cannot get beyond the natural background noise which they prefer. Thanks be to God, that to our hearts, His Spirit has spoken and we have been enabled in and through worship and the word to appreciate the great salvation given to us by and through our God and King. Amen.
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Resources Used: |
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Alexander, Joseph. |
Commentary on Psalms. | |
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Bratcher, Robert G. |
A Translator's Handbook on the Book of Psalms. | |
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Dahood, Mitchell. |
The Anchor Bible: Psalms II (51-100). | |
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Kidner, Derek. |
Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries: Psalms. | |
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Kohlenberger, John R. |
The Interlinear NIV Hebrew-English Old Testament. | |
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Spurgeon, C.H. |
The Treasury of David. | |
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IBS: The Holy Bible, New International Version (1984) | ||
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Psm 81b |
27 July 97 | |