Psalms 81
81
Psalm 81
For the choir director; on the gittith; #81:0 Unknown musical term. by Asaph.
1Sing joyfully to God, our strength.
Shout happily to the God of Jacob.
2Begin a psalm, and strike a tambourine.
Play lyres and harps with their pleasant music.
3Blow the ram’s horn on the day of the new moon,
on the day of the full moon,
on our festival days.
4This is a law for Israel,
a legal decision from the God of Jacob.
5These are the instructions God set in place for Joseph
when Joseph rose to power over Egypt.
I heard a message I did not understand:
6“I removed the burden from his shoulder.
His hands were freed from the basket.
7When you were in trouble, you called out ⌞to me⌟, and I rescued you.
I was hidden in thunder, but I answered you.
I tested your ⌞loyalty⌟ at the oasis of Meribah. Selah
8Listen, my people, and I will warn you.
Israel, if you would only listen to me!
9Never keep any strange god among you.
Never worship a foreign god.
10I am the Lord your God, the one who brought you out of Egypt.
Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.
11“But my people did not listen to me.
Israel wanted nothing to do with me.
12So I let them go their own stubborn ways
and follow their own advice.
13If only my people would listen to me!
If only Israel would follow me!
14I would quickly defeat their enemies.
I would turn my power against their foes.
15Those who hate the Lord would cringe in front of him,
and their time ⌞for punishment⌟ would last forever.
16But I would feed Israel with the finest wheat
and satisfy them with honey from a rock.”
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GOD'S WORD® Translation ©1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God's Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.
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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