Psalms 81:7

7 In tribulation thou inwardly calledest me, and I delivered thee; I heard thee in the hid place of tempest, I proved thee at the water(s) of against-saying. (In trouble thou calledest to me, and I saved thee; I answered thee from my hidden place in the tempest, and I proved thee at the waters of Meribah.)

Psalms 81:7 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 81:7

Thou calledst in trouble, and I delivered thee
That is, when Israel were in trouble in Egypt, as the Targum adds, and they cried unto the Lord in their distress, he heard them, and answered them, and sent them a deliverer, and brought them out of all their troubles, ( Exodus 3:7-10 ) .

I answered thee in the secret place of thunder;
by bringing the plague of thunder and lightnings upon the Egyptians, when the Israelites were hidden from them; a sense given by some, as Kimchi observes: or rather this was done when the Lord looked out of the pillar of cloud at the Red sea upon the Egyptian host, and troubled them; at which time the voice of his thunder was heard in heaven, ( Psalms 77:16-18 ) . Some think this has reference to the thunder at the giving of the law on Mount Sinai; but the sense before given is best:

I proved thee at the waters of Meribah;
by withholding water from them to try them, and see whether they would behave patiently, and put their trust and confidence in the Lord, or not; see ( Exodus 17:4-7 ) .

Selah. (See Gill on Psalms 3:2).

Psalms 81:7 In-Context

5 He setted that witnessing in Joseph; when he went out of the land of Egypt, he heard a language, that he knew not. (He put that command on Joseph; when he went out of the land of Egypt. And I heard a language, that I knew not.)

6 He turned away his back from burdens; his hands served in a coffin. (And the Lord said, I took away the burdens from off his back; his hands were delivered from having to carry the baskets.)

7 In tribulation thou inwardly calledest me, and I delivered thee; I heard thee in the hid place of tempest, I proved thee at the water(s) of against-saying. (In trouble thou calledest to me, and I saved thee; I answered thee from my hidden place in the tempest, and I proved thee at the waters of Meribah.)

8 My people, hear thou me, and I shall be witness against thee; Israel, if thou hearest me, (My people, hear thou me, and I shall witness to thee; Israel, if thou wouldest but listen to me,)

9 a fresh God shall not be in thee; and thou shalt not worship an alien god. (there shall be no new god for thee; and thou shalt never worship any foreign, or strange, god.)