Psalms 81 The Psalmist's Call to God

1 Psalm 81
For the director of music. According to gittith. Of Asaph.
Sing for joy to God our strength;
shout aloud to the God of Jacob!

2 Begin the music, strike the tambourine,
play the melodious harp and lyre.

3 Sound the ram’s horn at the New Moon,
and when the moon is full, on the day of our Feast;

4 this is a decree for Israel,
an ordinance of the God of Jacob.

5 He established it as a statute for Joseph
when he went out against Egypt,
where we heard a language we did not understand.

6 He says, “I removed the burden from their shoulders;
their hands were set free from the basket.

7 In your distress you called and I rescued you,
I answered you out of a thundercloud;
I tested you at the waters of Meribah. Selah

8 “Hear, O my people, and I will warn you—
if you would but listen to me, O Israel!

9 You shall have no foreign god among you;
you shall not bow down to an alien god.

10 I am the Lord your God,
who brought you up out of Egypt.
Open wide your mouth and I will fill it.

11 “But my people would not listen to me;
Israel would not submit to me.

12 So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts
to follow their own devices.

13 “If my people would but listen to me,
if Israel would follow my ways,

14 how quickly would I subdue their enemies
and turn my hand against their foes!

15 Those who hate the Lord would cringe before him,
and their punishment would last forever.

16 But you would be fed with the finest of wheat;
with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”

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Understanding the Key Messages in
Psalms 81: Insights and Explanation

Psalm 81 is a psalm of Asaph, calling the people of Israel to worship and obey God. The psalmist reminds the people of God's faithfulness and their covenant relationship with Him. He urges them to listen to God, repent of their idolatry, and return to Him, promising blessings and victory if they do. The chapter ends with God's longing for His people's obedience and His desire to bless and protect them.

Notes

This psalm serves as a reminder to the people of Israel to stay faithful to God and to avoid idolatry, as well as an encouragement for them to repent and return to God. It highlights the importance of listening to God and obeying His commands as the path to blessings and victory.

Analysis of Psalms Chapter 81

Verses 1-3: A Call to Worship

(Sing aloud unto God our strength: make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob. Take a psalm, and bring hither the timbrel, the pleasant harp with the psaltery. Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast day.)

The psalm opens with an invigorating call to worship. The imperative verbs “Sing aloud,” “make a joyful noise,” “take a psalm,” and “blow up the trumpet,” signal an urgent collective act of praise and celebration. This command to worship acknowledges God as their “strength” and “the God of Jacob” (another name for Israel), reflecting a sense of communal identity and divine support. The instruments mentioned—timbrel, harp, and psaltery—along with the trumpet, were integral to Hebrew worship practices, suggesting a ceremonious and full-bodied expression of gratitude and reverence.

The “new moon” likely refers to the commencement of the lunar month, which was vital in the Jewish calendar for marking significant festivals. The “solemn feast day” further anchors this psalm within the context of a structured and ordained time of worship, hinting at a larger theological framework where God’s people are called to remember and worship Him cyclically.

Verses 4-5: God’s Decree and the Role of Joseph

(For this was a statute for Israel, and a law of the God of Jacob. This he ordained in Joseph for a testimony, when he went out through the land of Egypt: where I heard a language that I understood not.)

The psalmist then grounds the call to worship in divine legislation—this act of worship is not just a folk custom but a decreed statute of God. The binding nature of this practice (“a statute for Israel, and a law of the God of Jacob”) emphasizes its sacred and non-negotiable character.

Reference to “Joseph” reminds the listeners/readers of Israel’s sojourn in Egypt, where Joseph’s leadership during a time of famine was pivotal. The transition from “Joseph” to “Israel” serves as a reminder of God’s providence and intervention. The mention of hearing “a language that I understood not” likely alludes to the initial alienation and oppression that the Israelites faced in Egypt, adding a layer of gratitude and reflection for God’s deliverance.

Verses 6-7: God’s Deliverance

(I removed his shoulder from the burden: his hands were delivered from the pots. Thou calledst in trouble, and I delivered thee; I answered thee in the secret place of thunder: I proved thee at the waters of Meribah. Selah.)

Continuing the reflection on Israel’s past, the psalmist recounts God’s deliverance from the burdens of Egyptian slavery. The imagery of removing the shoulder from a burden and hands from pots vividly portrays liberation from heavy, forced labor. The text underscores the responsiveness of God to the cries of the Israelites, affirming a relationship of plea and divine intervention.

The “secret place of thunder” metaphorically represents a divine, awe-inspiring revelation, possibly reflecting Mt. Sinai, where God’s presence was accompanied by thunder (Exodus 19:16). Mention of “the waters of Meribah” recalls another critical episode where God provided water from the rock despite Israel’s complaints and doubt. This reference highlights not just deliverance but also moments of divine testing and provision.

Verses 8-10: A Divine Appeal

(Hear, O my people, and I will testify unto thee: O Israel, if thou wilt hearken unto me; There shall no strange god be in thee; neither shalt thou worship any strange god. I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.)

Verses 8-10 serve as a divine appeal to Israel. The repeated call to “Hear” and “hearken” underscores the necessity of attentive and obedient listening. God positions Himself as a witness and a proclaimer (“I will testify unto thee”), signaling a direct and personal involvement with His people.

The admonition against worshipping “any strange god” reaffirms the first commandment of the Decalogue and underscores the exclusivity required in Israel’s covenant relationship with Yahweh. God self-identifies as the one who liberated them from Egypt, grounding His authority and their obligation in their shared history of deliverance.

The metaphor of opening the mouth wide with the promise of filling it evokes an image of abundant provision and trust. It speaks to the readiness of God to meet all needs lavishly if they open themselves fully to Him, symbolizing both spiritual and material sustenance.

Verses 11-12: Consequences of Disobedience

(But my people would not hearken to my voice; and Israel would none of me. So I gave them up unto their own hearts’ lust: and they walked in their own counsels.)

The tone shifts dramatically from appeal to lamentation. Despite God’s provision and continual call to obedience, Israel’s disobedience is starkly noted. The historical pattern of Israel’s rebellion and reluctance to adhere to divine guidance is brought into focus.

The phrase “I gave them up unto their own hearts’ lust” signifies divine relinquishment, where God allows Israel the freedom to follow their desires and self-derived wisdom. This withdrawal is not punitive but rather a consequence of their chosen path, leading them away from God’s protective and providential oversight. The autonomy they exercised proved to be their undoing, leading them astray from the divine counsel.

Verses 13-16: Yearning for Restoration

(Oh that my people had hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my ways! I should soon have subdued their enemies, and turned my hand against their adversaries. The haters of the LORD should have submitted themselves unto him: but their time should have endured for ever. He should have fed them also with the finest of the wheat: and with honey out of the rock should I have satisfied thee.)

The psalm concludes with a poignant expression of God’s unfulfilled desires for His people. The lament “Oh that my people had hearkened unto me” reflects divine sorrow and a yearning for Israel’s faithfulness. The hypothetical scenarios illustrate the blessings and protections they forfeited by turning away from God’s commandments.

The reassurance of subduing enemies and providing the finest sustenance (“finest of the wheat” and “honey out of the rock”) mirrors the covenant promises of protection, prosperity, and abundance. These verses encapsulate the abundant life that would have been theirs had they remained steadfast in their covenantal relationship.

Overall, Psalms 81 is a profound chapter that weaves a tapestry of worship, historical reflection, divine appeal, lamentation of disobedience, and a reflection on divine yearning. It serves as a powerful reminder of the enduring nature of God’s covenant love and the abundant life promised through adherence to His ways.