Psalms81

Psalms 81 begins with a vibrant call to joyful worship of God, emphasizing the use of musical instruments on solemn feast days, as this was a statute for Israel. The psalm then transitions to God's voice, recounting His deliverance of Israel from Egyptian bondage and lamenting their subsequent disobedience. God expresses a deep desire for His people to hearken to Him, promising abundant blessings and victory over enemies if they would walk in His ways.
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Call to Joyful Worship

1
Sing for joy to God our strength; make a joyful noise to the God of Jacob. ​
2
Lift up a song, strike the tambourine, play the sweet-sounding harp and lyre.
3
Sound the ram’s horn at the New Moon, and at the full moon on the day of our Feast. ​
4
For this is a statute for Israel, an ordinance of the God of Jacob.
5
He ordained it as a testimony for Joseph when he went out over the land of Egypt, where I heard an unfamiliar language: ​

God Recalls the Exodus Deliverance

6
“I relieved his shoulder of the burden; his hands were freed from the basket. ​
7
You called out in distress, and I rescued you; I answered you from the cloud of thunder; I tested you at the waters of Meribah. Selah ​

The Divine Command: Listen and Obey

8
Hear, O My people, and I will warn you: O Israel, if only you would listen to Me! ​
9
There must be no strange god among you, nor shall you bow to a foreign god.
10
I am the LORD your God, who brought you up out of Egypt. Open wide your mouth, and I will fill it. ​

Consequences of Disobedience and Missed Blessings

11
But My people would not listen to Me, and Israel would not obey Me.
12
So I gave them up to their stubborn hearts to follow their own devices. ​
13
If only My people would listen to Me, if Israel would follow My ways, ​
14
how soon I would subdue their enemies and turn My hand against their foes!
15
Those who hate the LORD would feign obedience, and their doom would last forever.
16
But I would feed you the finest wheat; with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.” ​

Study Notes for Psalms 81

Verse 1

The term 'Gittith' likely refers to a tune or musical instrument associated with the grape harvest or winepress, suggesting a joyous and robust style of music appropriate for a festival.

Verse 3

The call to blow the trumpet (shofar) in the new moon and appointed time refers specifically to the Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah) and potentially the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot), mandated statutes for Israel.

Verse 5

To 'ordain in Joseph' means God instituted this law for Israel when He led them out of Egypt, often represented by Joseph (referring to the Northern Kingdom tribes). The Psalmist recalls the confusion and alienation of slavery in Egypt.

Verse 6

The shift here indicates that God is now speaking directly, recalling the physical liberation from the forced labor ('burden' and 'pots') of Egyptian bondage.

Verse 7

The 'secret place of thunder' refers to the thick cloud and divine revelation at Mount Sinai, where God established the covenant. Meribah (meaning 'quarreling') recalls the place where Israel tested God by demanding water.

Verse 8

This verse marks a dramatic transition to direct prophetic address (a divine oracle), setting forth the basic demands of the covenant relationship: hearing and obedience.

Verse 10

The command to 'open thy mouth wide' is a metaphor for complete dependence and trust; God promises to fill Israel with abundant provision—physical, spiritual, and intellectual—if they rely solely on Him.

Verse 12

This verse highlights the profound theological concept of divine abandonment (or judicial hardening), where God allows the people to suffer the consequences of their persistent refusal to submit to His guidance.

Verse 13

This expression of divine pathos reveals God's deep grief and longing for Israel to return to obedience so that He might pour out His protective blessings and fulfill His original purposes for them.

Verse 16

This verse promises ultimate provision and sustenance, illustrating the richness of the blessings missed through disobedience. 'Honey out of the rock' signifies miraculous provision, emphasizing God’s ability to bring forth abundance even from desolate places.

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