Basic Requirements

Psalms 79:6 (KJV) Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen that have not known thee, and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon thy name.

(Proverbs 19 also read)

If you look at the first couple verses of this Psalm, you realize that it could not have been written before the exile of the southern kingdom.  There was no temple until Solomon, and to my knowledge, it was not destroyed until the Babylonians came.  So we are talking late in Israel’s history.

The call of Asaph is for God to pull their chestnuts out of the fire and restore them to whatever he thinks they had before.  I guess that’s a natural desire.  But you notice there are two things here that he is leaning on.  First is a knowledge of God.  Second is calling upon His name.  There is no indication in this Psalm that either one of these are enough.

I continue to see a lack of repentance and personal confession.  He admits that his ancestors were disobedient rebels but there’s nothing about him.  There’s nothing about his contemporaries.

So?  When calling upon God and calling upon His name make sure that your call is based upon the right requirements.  God doesn’t want to just hear empty words.  He wants to hear the cry of a contrite heart.  He doesn’t play games.  He waits to respond to the right call.