Psalms 81:8-16

8 Listen, my people, to my warning; Israel, how I wish you would listen to me!

9 You must never worship another god. ¹

10 I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt. Open your mouth, and I will feed you.

11 "But my people would not listen to me; Israel would not obey me.

12 So I let them go their stubborn ways and do whatever they wanted.

13 How I wish my people would listen to me; how I wish they would obey me!

14 I would quickly defeat their enemies and conquer all their foes.

15 Those who hate me would bow in fear before me; their punishment would last forever.

16 But I would feed you with the finest wheat and satisfy you with wild honey."

Psalms 81:8-16 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."

Cross References

• 1. 81.9Exodus 20.2, 3;Deuteronomy 5.6, 7.