Open wide

“Open your mouth wide and I will fill it,” the Lord promises (Psalm 81:10). I had always taken that as a reference to food. But it comes just after this: “I, Yahweh, am your God, who brought you up from the land of Egypt,” a clear allusion to the opening of the Ten Word (Exodus 20:1). The Psalmist might still want us to open our mouths for food, but the immediate idea is that we open our mouths to be filled with the Words Yahweh speaks from the mountain. “His word to give me speech,” as Patrick sung.

And that suggests that Psalm 81:16 might also be something more than an offer of food. Yahweh promises to give grain and honey; that means abundant life in the land. But the word of the Lord is like honey (Psalm 19), and so is wisdom. And of course He is the Rock. Honey from the rock is the sweet and wise Word that comes from the Rock of Israel.