Salmi 81

1 Salmo di Asaf, dato al capo de’ Musici sopra Ghittit. CANTATE lietamente a Dio nostra forza; Date grida di allegrezza all’Iddio di Giacobbe.

2 Prendete a salmeggiare, ed aggiugnetevi il tamburo, La cetera dilettevole, col saltero.

3 Sonate colla tromba alle calendi, Nella nuova luna, al giorno della nostra festa.

4 Perciocchè questo è uno statuto dato ad Israele, Una legge dell’Iddio di Giacobbe.

5 Egli lo costituì per una testimonianza in Giuseppe, Dopo ch’egli fu uscito fuori contro al paese di Egitto; Allora che io udii un linguaggio che io non intendeva.

6 Io ho ritratte, dice Iddio, le sue spalle da’ pesi; Le sue mani si son dipartite dalle corbe.

7 O popol mio, tu gridasti essendo in distretta, ed io te ne trassi fuori; Io ti risposi, stando nel nascondimento del tuono; Io ti provai alle acque di Meriba. Sela.

8 Io ti dissi: Ascolta, popol mio, ed io ti farò le mie protestazioni; O Israele, attendessi tu pure a me!

9 Non siavi fra te alcun dio strano, E non adorare alcun dio forestiere.

10 Io sono il Signore Iddio tuo, che ti ho tratto fuor del paese di Egitto; Allarga pur la tua bocca, ed io l’empierò.

11 Ma il mio popolo non ha atteso alla mia voce; Ed Israele non mi ha acconsentito.

12 Onde io li ho abbandonati alla durezza del cuor loro; Acciocchè camminino secondo i lor consigli.

13 Oh! avesse pure ubbidito il mio popolo, E fosse Israele camminato nelle mie vie!

14 Io avrei in uno stante abbattuti i lor nemici, Ed avrei rivolta la mia mano contro a’ loro avversari.

15 Quelli che odiano il Signore si sarebbero infinti inverso loro; E il tempo loro sarebbe durato in perpetuo.

16 E Iddio li avrebbe cibati di grascia di frumento; E dalla roccia, dice egli, io ti avrei satollato di miele.

Salmi 81 Commentary

Chapter 81

God is praised for what he has done for his people. (1-7) Their obligations to him. (8-16)

Verses 1-7 All the worship we can render to the Lord is beneath his excellences, and our obligations to him, especially in our redemption from sin and wrath. What God had done on Israel's behalf, was kept in remembrance by public solemnities. To make a deliverance appear more gracious, more glorious, it is good to observe all that makes the trouble we are delivered from appear more grievous. We ought never to forget the base and ruinous drudgery to which Satan, our oppressor, brought us. But when, in distress of conscience, we are led to cry for deliverance, the Lord answers our prayers, and sets us at liberty. Convictions of sin, and trials by affliction, prove his regard to his people. If the Jews, on their solemn feast-days, were thus to call to mind their redemption out of Egypt, much more ought we, on the Christian sabbath, to call to mind a more glorious redemption, wrought out for us by our Lord Jesus Christ, from worse bondage.

Verses 8-16 We cannot look for too little from the creature, nor too much from the Creator. We may have enough from God, if we pray for it in faith. All the wickedness of the world is owing to man's wilfulness. People are not religious, because they will not be so. God is not the Author of their sin, he leaves them to the lusts of their own hearts, and the counsels of their own heads; if they do not well, the blame must be upon themselves. The Lord is unwilling that any should perish. What enemies sinners are to themselves! It is sin that makes our troubles long, and our salvation slow. Upon the same conditions of faith and obedience, do Christians hold those spiritual and eternal good things, which the pleasant fields and fertile hills of Canaan showed forth. Christ is the Bread of life; he is the Rock of salvation, and his promises are as honey to pious minds. But those who reject him as their Lord and Master, must also lose him as their Saviour and their reward.

Chapter Summary

To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A [Psalm] of Asaph. Of "gittith," See Gill on "Ps 8:1." The Targum renders it, "upon the harp which came from Gath;" and so Jarchi says it was a musical instrument that came from Gath. The Septuagint, and the versions which follow that, render it, "for the winepresses." This psalm, according to Kimchi, is said concerning the going out of the children of Israel from Egypt; and was composed in order to be sung at their new moons and solemn feasts, which were typical of Gospel things in Gospel times; see Colossians 2:16 and so the Syriac version, "a psalm of Asaph, when David by him prepared himself for the solemnities."