I don’t know if this psalm was part of the inspiration for that hymn, but that’s the connection I’m making this morning.

For many years, the familiar “friend” found in Psalm 81 was in verse 10.

Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.

(Psalm 81:10b ESV)

Quit sampling from the tables of “strange” gods, (which, as 1Corinthians 8:4 reminded me this morning, aren’t real gods anyhow), says the LORD through the songwriter, but feast at My table. Pull up a chair, tuck your bib in under your chin, and open your mouth wide. And the promise to claim? I will fill it.

Talk about your “all you can eat” buffet. Talk about having to loosen your belt or even having to undo the top button of your pants because you’ve feasted until there’s no more room for feasting. Talk about being full. That’s the kind of full you get when it’s God doing the filling.

But as much as I enjoy meditating again on a mouth opened wide and the soul being filled to the full, over the past couple of years, it’s what’s specifically mentioned as being on the menu which brings a smile to the face as I chew on it.

“Oh, that My people would listen to Me,
       that Israel would walk in My ways! . . .

He would feed you with the finest of the wheat,
       and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”

(Psalm 81:13, 16 ESV)

Honey from the rock . . . That’s what’s on the menu!

And that Rock is Christ (1Cor. 10:4, 1Peter 2:4).

Cue the hymn . . .

‘Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,
and to take him at his word;
just to rest upon his promise,
and to know, “Thus saith the Lord.”

O how sweet to trust in Jesus,
just to trust his cleansing blood;
and in simple faith to plunge me
neath the healing, cleansing flood!

Yes, ’tis sweet to trust in Jesus,
just from sin and self to cease;
just from Jesus simply taking
life and rest, and joy and peace.

Jesus, Jesus, how I trust him!
How I’ve proved him o’er and o’er!
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!
O for grace to trust him more!

~ Louisa M. R. Stead (1882) ~

O for grace to trust Him more!

That in Him, and in Him alone, I would be satisfied.

My soul filled to the full of His sweetness.

With honey from the Rock!

By His grace alone. For His glory alone.