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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Psalms 81 is a vibrant call to worship and a poignant reminder of God's faithfulness and Israel's repeated failures. Attributed to Asaph, a Levite musician who served during the reign of King David (1 Chronicles 16:4–5), this psalm blends joyful celebration with solemn reflection on the consequences of obedience and disobedience. The psalm likely was sung during a feast day, possibly the Feast of Booths (also known as the Feast of Tabernacles or Sukkot; Deuteronomy 16:13–15), a time of thanksgiving for God's provision during the harvest. The term "gittith" used in the psalm's heading, possibly refers to a musical instrument or a style of music, perhaps connected to the harvest season and wine production ("winepress").
A Call to Joyful Worship (Psalms 81:1-5)
The psalm opens with an exuberant invitation to praise God through music and celebration. "Sing aloud to God our strength; make a joyful shout to the God of Jacob" (Psalms 81:1). The call to worship involves various musical instruments, highlighting the importance of joyful and expressive praise. The reference to a "feast day" (Psalms 81:3) connects the psalm to the established festivals commanded by God (Leviticus 23), observed according to the lunar calendar, with the new moon being a significant marker. These feasts served as reminders of God's mighty acts and His covenant with Israel. They were to remember God’s commands and as a reminder of God’s work on their behalf.
God's Faithfulness and Israel's History (Psalms 81:6-7)
The tone shifts as God Himself begins to speak, recounting His past deliverance of Israel from Egyptian slavery. He reminds them, "I relieved your shoulder from the burden; your hands were freed from the basket" (Psalms 81:6). This echoes the Exodus narrative (Exodus 6:6-7), where God dramatically intervened to liberate His people from oppression. God also alludes to the testing at Meribah (Exodus 17:1-7), where the Israelites, thirsty and discontented, questioned God's presence and provision. Despite their grumbling, God miraculously provided water from a rock, demonstrating His unwavering care even in the face of their doubt. This moment serves as a reminder of both God's faithfulness and Israel's tendency to complain.
A Plea for Obedience (Psalms 81:8-10)
God's historical review leads to a direct appeal for obedience: "Hear, O my people, and I will admonish you! O Israel, if you would listen to me!" (Psalms 81:8). He emphasizes the importance of exclusive devotion to Him, warning against idolatry: "There shall be no foreign god among you; nor shall you worship any foreign god" (Psalms 81:9). This echoes the first two of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:2-5), which establish God's supreme authority and prohibit the worship of other gods or idols. God reminds them that He is the one who brought them out of Egypt (Psalms 81:10), and He is the one who can provide for them still. God promises to satisfy their needs abundantly if they turn to Him with open hearts and petitions: "Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it" (Psalms 81:10).
The Consequences of Disobedience (Psalms 81:11-12)
Tragically, Israel's history is marked by repeated disobedience. "But My people would not heed My voice, and Israel would have none of Me" (Psalms 81:11). As a result, God allowed them to follow their own stubborn desires, a path that leads to destruction. "So I gave them over to their own stubborn heart, to walk in their own counsels" (Psalms 81:12). This is not a vindictive act of punishment but rather a consequence of rejecting God's guidance and protection. Allowing them to follow their own way was a dead-end street.
The Blessings of Obedience (Psalms 81:13-16)
The psalm concludes with a conditional promise of blessing. "Oh, that My people would listen to Me, that Israel would walk in My ways!" (Psalms 81:13). If Israel had remained faithful, God would have subdued their enemies and showered them with blessings: "I would soon subdue their enemies, and turn My hand against their adversaries" (Psalms 81:14). The blessings are described in vivid terms: "He would have fed them also with the finest of wheat; and with honey from the rock I would have satisfied you" (Psalms 81:16). This imagery evokes a land of abundance and prosperity, a direct result of obedience to God's covenant. Obedience brings blessing, a reversal of fortune, and supernatural provision.
Relevance for Today
Psalms 81 offers timeless lessons for believers today. It reminds us of the importance of joyful worship, gratitude for God's past faithfulness, and the critical need for obedience to His commands. Just as Israel faced the consequences of disobedience, we too must recognize that our choices have repercussions. Loyalty to him is critical if we are to receive all that he wants us to have. By choosing to follow God's ways, we position ourselves to receive His blessings and experience the fullness of life He desires for us. If we want God to reverse our circumstances, we need to place ourselves in a position of submission to his will and kingdom authority.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Psalms 81 is a vibrant call to worship and a poignant reminder of God's faithfulness and Israel's repeated failures. Attributed to Asaph, a Levite musician who served during the reign of King David (1 Chronicles 16:4–5), this psalm blends joyful celebration with solemn reflection on the consequences of obedience and disobedience. The psalm likely was sung during a feast day, possibly the Feast of Booths (also known as the Feast of Tabernacles or Sukkot; Deuteronomy 16:13–15), a time of thanksgiving for God's provision during the harvest. The term "gittith" used in the psalm's heading, possibly refers to a musical instrument or a style of music, perhaps connected to the harvest season and wine production ("winepress").
A Call to Joyful Worship (Psalms 81:1-5)
The psalm opens with an exuberant invitation to praise God through music and celebration. "Sing aloud to God our strength; make a joyful shout to the God of Jacob" (Psalms 81:1). The call to worship involves various musical instruments, highlighting the importance of joyful and expressive praise. The reference to a "feast day" (Psalms 81:3) connects the psalm to the established festivals commanded by God (Leviticus 23), observed according to the lunar calendar, with the new moon being a significant marker. These feasts served as reminders of God's mighty acts and His covenant with Israel. They were to remember God’s commands and as a reminder of God’s work on their behalf.
God's Faithfulness and Israel's History (Psalms 81:6-7)
The tone shifts as God Himself begins to speak, recounting His past deliverance of Israel from Egyptian slavery. He reminds them, "I relieved your shoulder from the burden; your hands were freed from the basket" (Psalms 81:6). This echoes the Exodus narrative (Exodus 6:6-7), where God dramatically intervened to liberate His people from oppression. God also alludes to the testing at Meribah (Exodus 17:1-7), where the Israelites, thirsty and discontented, questioned God's presence and provision. Despite their grumbling, God miraculously provided water from a rock, demonstrating His unwavering care even in the face of their doubt. This moment serves as a reminder of both God's faithfulness and Israel's tendency to complain.
A Plea for Obedience (Psalms 81:8-10)
God's historical review leads to a direct appeal for obedience: "Hear, O my people, and I will admonish you! O Israel, if you would listen to me!" (Psalms 81:8). He emphasizes the importance of exclusive devotion to Him, warning against idolatry: "There shall be no foreign god among you; nor shall you worship any foreign god" (Psalms 81:9). This echoes the first two of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:2-5), which establish God's supreme authority and prohibit the worship of other gods or idols. God reminds them that He is the one who brought them out of Egypt (Psalms 81:10), and He is the one who can provide for them still. God promises to satisfy their needs abundantly if they turn to Him with open hearts and petitions: "Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it" (Psalms 81:10).
The Consequences of Disobedience (Psalms 81:11-12)
Tragically, Israel's history is marked by repeated disobedience. "But My people would not heed My voice, and Israel would have none of Me" (Psalms 81:11). As a result, God allowed them to follow their own stubborn desires, a path that leads to destruction. "So I gave them over to their own stubborn heart, to walk in their own counsels" (Psalms 81:12). This is not a vindictive act of punishment but rather a consequence of rejecting God's guidance and protection. Allowing them to follow their own way was a dead-end street.
The Blessings of Obedience (Psalms 81:13-16)
The psalm concludes with a conditional promise of blessing. "Oh, that My people would listen to Me, that Israel would walk in My ways!" (Psalms 81:13). If Israel had remained faithful, God would have subdued their enemies and showered them with blessings: "I would soon subdue their enemies, and turn My hand against their adversaries" (Psalms 81:14). The blessings are described in vivid terms: "He would have fed them also with the finest of wheat; and with honey from the rock I would have satisfied you" (Psalms 81:16). This imagery evokes a land of abundance and prosperity, a direct result of obedience to God's covenant. Obedience brings blessing, a reversal of fortune, and supernatural provision.
Relevance for Today
Psalms 81 offers timeless lessons for believers today. It reminds us of the importance of joyful worship, gratitude for God's past faithfulness, and the critical need for obedience to His commands. Just as Israel faced the consequences of disobedience, we too must recognize that our choices have repercussions. Loyalty to him is critical if we are to receive all that he wants us to have. By choosing to follow God's ways, we position ourselves to receive His blessings and experience the fullness of life He desires for us. If we want God to reverse our circumstances, we need to place ourselves in a position of submission to his will and kingdom authority.