Psalms 81:3-13

3 Let the horn be sounded in the time of the new moon, at the full moon, on our holy feast-day:

4 For this is a rule for Israel, and a law of the God of Jacob.

5 He gave it to Joseph as a witness, when he went out over the land of Egypt; then the words of a strange tongue were sounding in my ears.

6 I took the weight from his back; his hands were made free from the baskets.

7 You gave a cry in your trouble, and I made you free; I gave you an answer in the secret place of the thunder; I put you to the test at the waters of Meribah. (Selah.)

8 Give ear, O my people, and I will give you my word, O Israel, if you will only do as I say!

9 There is to be no strange god among you; you are not to give worship to any other god.

10 I am the Lord your God, who took you up from the land of Egypt: let your mouth be open wide, so that I may give you food.

11 But my people did not give ear to my voice; Israel would have nothing to do with me.

12 So I gave them up to the desires of their hearts; that they might go after their evil purposes.

13 If only my people would give ear to me, walking in my ways!

Psalms 81:3-13 Meaning and Commentary

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."