Psalms 81:14

14 I'll make short work of your enemies, give your foes the back of my hand.

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 go of the reins and told them, 'Run! Do it your own way!'
13 "Oh, dear people, will you listen to me now? Israel, will you follow my map?
14 I'll make short work of your enemies, give your foes the back of my hand.
15 I'll send the God-haters cringing like dogs, never to be heard from again.
16 You'll feast on my fresh-baked bread spread with butter and rock-pure honey."
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.