Psalms 81:13 “Oh that my people had hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my ways! 14 I should soon have subdued their enemies, and turned my hand against their adversaries.”
Cyclically, throughout the ages, like Israel, the Lord’s “people” become self-satisfied and complacent and even rebellious in their worshipful service to the Him. However, God is not wringing His hands in hopelessness the way we often do when someone we love rejects us. It is not pleasing to God when His “people” refuse to hearken unto Him and will not walk in His “ways”; but, instead of moaning and crying the way we do, in His Sovereign Power and Authority, He takes corrective actions. Our Lord looked out over rebellious Jerusalem, and cried aloud, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!” (Matthew 23:37); thus, a few years later, their city was utterly destroyed, and they were scattered around the known world. Paul tells us that “… the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; …” (Romans 1:18). In this case, He would “have subdued their enemies, and turned” His “hand against their adversaries”; but, because of their rebellious idolatry, He didn’t. Consequently, they often suffered for very long periods of time under the cruel hands of their enemies. Let us pause and remember that our Lord is the Almighty God, and while He is patient and longsuffering and He lovingly sends many warning messages, He will not indefinitely tolerate rejection.