The psalm begins joyfully, but the complaints of the divine voice (vv. 12-13) seem strangely out of place. There is also a second inconsistency: the trumpet or ram’s horn (jobel, hence our ‘jubilee’) is supposed to be sounded at the new moon when the moon is full. To address the second issue, the harvest feast of Tabernacles might be referenced here (celebrated at the full moon in the lunar month of September-October), which is also the first day of the New Year (the first day of that month). The first problem is lessened if we assume that the people sing verses 2 to 6 joyfully. But a prophet in the sanctuary reminds them that their joy should be tempered with self-distrust. If past experiences teach us anything, it is this—and it applies to us as well.
This psalm urges us to listen to the voice of the Lord because idols are still with us today. We lack the motivation to evangelize and transform the world because we still carry idols, even in our apostolic plans. God himself, in the Transfiguration, tells Matthew 17:5, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved, my Chosen One. Listen to him.’
God keeps his promise. If only we would listen, we would find nourishment for both body and soul.