Psalms 81
81
An Admonition to Fidelity
1For the leader; “upon the gittith.”#Upon the gittith: probably the title of the melody to which the Psalm was to be sung or a musical instrument. Of Asaph.
I
2Sing joyfully to God our strength;#Ps 43:4; 68:26; 149:3; 150:3–4; Jdt 16:1.
raise loud shouts to the God of Jacob!
3Take up a melody, sound the timbrel,
the pleasant lyre with a harp.
4#New moon…full moon: the pilgrimage feast of harvest began with a great assembly (Lv 23:24; Nm 29:1), used the new moon as a sign (Nm 29:6), and included trumpets (Lv 23:24).Blow the shofar at the new moon,
at the full moon, on our solemn feast.#Lv 23:24; Nm 29:1.
5For this is a law for Israel,
an edict of the God of Jacob,#Ex 23:14ff.
6He made it a decree for Joseph
when he came out of the land of Egypt.
II
7#I heard a tongue I did not know: a Temple official speaks the word of God (Ps 81:5b–16), which is authoritative and unlike merely human words (cf. Nm 24:4, 16).I heard a tongue I did not know:
“I removed his shoulder from the burden;#I heard a tongue I did not know: a Temple official speaks the word of God (Ps 81:5b–16), which is authoritative and unlike merely human words (cf. Nm 24:4, 16).
his hands moved away from the basket.#I removed his shoulder from the burden: A reference to the liberation of Israel from slavery in Egypt. The basket: for carrying clay to make bricks, cf. Ex 1:14.#Ex 1:14; 6:6.
8In distress you called and I rescued you;
I answered you in secret with thunder;
At the waters of Meribah#Meribah: place of rebellion in the wilderness; cf. Ex 17:7; Nm 20:13. I tested you:#Ps 95:8; Ex 2:23ff; 17:7; 19:16; Nm 20:13; 27:14. 9‘Listen, my people, I will testify against you
Selah
If only you will listen to me, Israel!#Ex 1:14; 6:6.
10There shall be no foreign god among you;#There shall be no foreign god among you: as in Ps 50 and 95, Israel is challenged to obey the first commandment of fidelity to God after the proclamation of the exodus.#Ex 20:2–6; Dt 5:6–10.
you shall not bow down to an alien god.
11‘I am the Lord your God,
who brought you up from the land of Egypt.
Open wide your mouth that I may fill it.’
12But my people did not listen to my words;
Israel would not submit to me.
13So I thrust them away to the hardness of their heart;
‘Let them walk in their own machinations.’#Jer 3:17; 7:24.
14O that my people would listen to me,
that Israel would walk in my ways,#Is 48:18.
15In a moment I would humble their foes,
and turn back my hand against their oppressors.#Lv 26:7–8.
16Those who hate the Lord will try flattering him,
but their fate is fixed forever.
17But Israel I will feed with the finest wheat,
I will satisfy them with honey from the rock.”#Ps 147:14; Dt 32:13–14.
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Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc
Psalm 81
81
Oh, That My People Would Listen to Me
To the choirmaster: according to #Ps. 8, title; 84, title The Gittith.#81:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term Of #Ps. 50, titleAsaph.
1 # [Deut. 32:43] Sing aloud to God our strength;
# See Ps. 66:1 shout for joy to the God of Jacob!
2Raise a song; sound #Ex. 15:20 the tambourine,
#
Ps. 71:22
the sweet lyre with #Ps. 71:22the harp.
3Blow the trumpet at #Lev. 23:24; Num. 10:10; 29:1the new moon,
at the full moon, on our feast day.
4For it is a statute for Israel,
a rule#81:4 Or just decree of the God of Jacob.
5He made it #Ps. 122:4; [Ps. 78:5] a decree in #Ps. 77:15; 78:67; 80:1 Joseph
when he #Ex. 11:4 went out over#81:5 Or against the land of Egypt.
#
Ps. 114:1 I hear a language #[Deut. 28:49; Jer. 5:15]I had not known:
6“I #Isa. 9:4; 10:27 relieved your#81:6 Hebrew his; also next line shoulder of #Ex. 1:11the burden;
your hands were freed from the basket.
7In distress you #Ps. 50:15; [Ex. 2:23; 14:10] called, and I delivered you;
I #Ex. 19:19; See Ps. 18:11-14 answered you in the secret place of thunder;
I #Ex. 17:7; Num. 20:13tested you at the waters of Meribah. Selah
8 # See Ps. 50:7 Hear, O my people, while I admonish you!
O Israel, if you would but listen to me!
9There shall be no #Ps. 44:20; Isa. 43:12; [Ex. 20:3] strange god among you;
you shall not bow down to a #Deut. 32:12foreign god.
10 #
Ex. 20:2 I am the Lord your God,
who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.
# [Ps. 37:3, 4] Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.
11“But my people did not listen to my voice;
Israel #Ex. 32:1; Deut. 32:15, 18; Prov. 1:25, 30would not submit to me.
12So I #Job 8:4; [Acts 7:42; 14:16; Rom. 1:24, 26] gave them over to their #[Deut. 29:19] stubborn hearts,
to follow their own #Ps. 106:43; Jer. 7:24; Mic. 6:16counsels.
13 #
Deut. 5:29; 32:29; Isa. 48:18 Oh, that my people would listen to me,
that Israel would #Deut. 5:33walk in my ways!
14I would soon subdue their enemies
and #Amos 1:8turn my hand against their foes.
15Those who hate the Lord would #Ps. 18:44cringe toward him,
and their fate would last forever.
16But he would feed you#81:16 That is, Israel; Hebrew him with #Ps. 147:14; Deut. 32:14 the finest of the wheat,
and with #Deut. 32:13; [Job 29:6; Ezek. 16:19]honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”
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