Verse 1. "Sing aloud unto God our strength: make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob." How thankful we should be to the Lord if He has caused our lot to fall in an age or place where we can freely lift up our voices in praise to His Name. How often the Church of God has passed through "silent" periods in her earthly pilgrimage; times when she has had to worship in whispers, or where she could only sing, knowing that the vastness of some moor or mountainside would distil her psalm of praise into the ear of the Almighty Himself and away from the ears of those who sought her life. Even at this present time, there are those parts of the world where the singing of a song of Zion must not break the night air, lest the devil's handymen break-in on top of her. Like Peter in the house of the mother of John Mark, following his release from prison, how many have to "beckon with the hand to hold their peace" when they would, no doubt, love to sing out in praises to their God. How thankful, then, we should be who know no such restrictions, and how unrestricted we should learn to become in singing "aloud" unto the God of our salvation. It is not melodious niceness from the mouth that God requires, but that wholesome praise of the heart that finds vent in making "a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob."
Verse 3. "Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast day." On the first day of the seventh month, when the new moon appeared from behind the clouds that had been covering it, the Feast of Trumpets was observed in the land of Israel - "It shall be a day of the blowing of trumpets to you." The joy of the feast was a memorial of the joy of creation, and also a memorial of the giving of the Law at Sinai when the trumpet of the Lord sounded out. It also set forth the blowing of the gospel trumpet, when the church looked forth as the morning "clear as the moon" following on from the darkness of the cross of Christ. And it was a solemn pointer to that day when the trumpet of the Lord shall sound and summons all men before the face of their God, some going off into damnation and some into salvation for all eternity.
Verse 5. "I hear a language that I understood not." Not that God is in any way "limited" in his understanding, but to teach us the truth that there are only certain words that He will lend His ear to. For example, the words of self-righteousness, He will in no way regard, but, "God be merciful to me a sinner" will always find a ready access.
Verse 9. "There shall no strange God be in thee ..." No alien god was to be tolerated in Israel's tents. Where false gods are, their worship is sure to follow. Man is so desperate an idolater that the image is always a strong temptation. No other God had done anything for the Jews, and therefore, they had no reason to pay homage to any other. To us, the same argument will apply. We owe all to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; the world, the flesh, and the devil - none of these have been of any service to us; they are aliens, foreigners, enemies, and it is not for us to bow down before them.
Verse 10. "Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it." consider the import of the promise: "Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it." "ask, and ye shall receive; seek, and ye shall find." If we open our mouths to God in prayer, he will fill them more and more with suitable petitions and argument. When we attempt to open the mouth, God will open it still wider. Thus, He dealt with Abraham when he interceded for Sodom: the longer he prayed, the more submissive and the more importunate he became. By praying, we increase our ability to pray. Open thy mouth wide then, O Christian; stretch out thy desires to the uttermost, grasp heaven and earth in thy boundless wishes, and believe there is enough in God to afford thee full satisfaction. Not only come, but come with boldness to the throne of grace: it is erected for sinners, for the chief of sinners. Come to it then, and wait at it, till you obtain mercy and find strength to help in time of need. Those who expect most from God are likely to receive the most.
Verse 11. "My people would not hearken to my voice; and Israel would have none of me."
Remember, sinner, that if you lose heaven (which God forbid) the Lord can wash his hands over your head, and clear himself of your blood: your damnation will be laid at your own door, for you put eternal life from you, whatever your lying lips utter to the contrary. When the jury shall sit in judgment on your murdered soul, you will be found guilty of your own damnation. No one loses God, but he that is willing to part with him.