Psalms 81:14

14 I would quickly defeat their enemies. I would turn my power against their foes.

Psalms 81:14 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 81:14

I should soon have subdued their enemies
The Canaanites, and others: this he would have done in a very little time, or at once, and that easily, and without any trouble; he would quickly have humbled them, and brought them on their knees, as the word F7 signifies, to terms of peace; for when a man's ways please the Lord, he makes his enemies to be at peace with him, ( Proverbs 16:7 ) so those that hearken to the voice of Christ, and walk in his ways, he subdues their iniquities, and will bruise Satan under their feet shortly, and make them more than conquerors: through himself, over the world; the men and things of it he has overcome:

and turned my hand against their adversaries;
that troubled, distressed, and oppressed them; and it is a righteous thing with God to render tribulation to them that trouble his people; he turns his chastising hand off of them, which sometimes is heavy upon them, and presses them sore, and turns it in a way of wrath and vindictive justice against their adversaries; and so the Targum,

``and turned the stroke of my power against their adversaries;''

this is the lighting down of his arm with the indignation of his anger, which is intolerable, ( Isaiah 30:30 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F7 (eynka) "flecterem", Cocceius.

Psalms 81:14 In-Context

12 So I let them go their own stubborn ways and follow their own advice.
13 If only my people would listen to me! If only Israel would follow me!
14 I would quickly defeat their enemies. I would turn my power against their foes.
15 Those who hate the LORD would cringe in front of him, and their time [for punishment] would last forever.
16 But I would feed Israel with the finest wheat and satisfy them with honey from a rock."
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