A Contemplation of Asaph. Give ear, O my people, to my law; incline your ears to the words of my mouth. (Psalm 78:1)
The Hebrew word translated as “contemplation” is משכיל maskil, derived from a root that means, “wisdom or enlightenment.” Jewish commentators say that any psalm introduced with the word maskil was to be explained by a skilled teacher to those who had a heart to learn and understand spiritual matters. In other words, a maskil conveyed deep and important principles that all of God’s people needed to hear and internalize. Therefore, the first verse — “Give ear to my law; incline your ears to the words of my mouth” — set the tone for the entirety of this psalm and establishes the importance of paying close attention to everything God has to say.
Obviously, every believer understands the importance of reading the Word of God, hopefully something we all do on a daily basis. But our dedication to the Word must go beyond reading; we must devote ourselves to studying it, internalizing it and applying it to our life. I would argue that a cursory review of the Word, even if daily, is not sufficient to meet the standards that the psalmist presents to us in the opening line of this composition. To give ear is to say, focus only on what God’s Word has to say; in other words, don’t let anything else become a distraction. Furthermore, inclining one’s ear is, in reality, to bend one’s ear to what is being said. In a manner of speaking, don’t just hear what is on the surface; listen for the Word within the Word.
Moses told the people of Israel that, “man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord” (Deuteronomy 8:3). Allow me to point out what is obvious: he said “every word,“ not every word we agree with. We must bend our ear to receive every word, not just what we deem appropriate for our situation. Let’s put it this way: it is in our best interests to open our ears to everything God has to say in His Word and not pick and choose the word that conforms to our preferences. If we truly want to grow in understanding and wisdom, we must be ready to receive all that God has to say in His Word from cover to cover. As Paul told Timothy:
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
Blessings and Shalom,
Bill
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