Psalms 81:9

9 There is not in thee a strange god, And thou bowest not thyself to a strange god.

Psalms 81:9 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 81:9

There shall no strange god be in thee
Or in the midst of thee, owned and worshipped as God; or in thine heart, for whatever engrosses the affection, or a man puts his trust and confidence in, that he makes his god, and is a strange one: thus, if any friend or relation, father or mother, wife or children, are loved more than God, they are set up as such in his place; thus the epicure, that seeks the gratification of his carnal lusts, makes his belly his god; and the covetous man his money, in which he trusts, and therefore is called an idolater; and the self-righteous man his righteousness, on which he depends for salvation: hence we read of idols set up in the heart, from which they are disengaged in conversion, and kept from, ( Ezekiel 14:7 ) ( 36:25 ) ( Hosea 14:8 ) ( 1 John 5:21 )

neither shall thou worship any strange god;
only the Lord God is to be worshipped, ( Matthew 28:19 ) ( 2 Corinthians 13:14 ) ( Revelation 1:4 Revelation 1:5 ) and there is but one God; though this is to be understood not to the exclusion of the Son and Spirit, who are with the Father the one God, and to be worshipped equally with him, and are; see ( Matthew 28:19 ) ( 2 Corinthians 13:14 ) ( Revelation 1:4 Revelation 1:5 ) .

Psalms 81:9 In-Context

7 In distress thou hast called and I deliver thee, I answer thee in the secret place of thunder, I try thee by the waters of Meribah. Selah.

8 Hear, O My people, and I testify to thee, O Israel, if thou dost hearken to me:

9 There is not in thee a strange god, And thou bowest not thyself to a strange god.

10 I [am] Jehovah thy God, Who bringeth thee up out of the land of Egypt. Enlarge thy mouth, and I fill it.

11 But, My people hearkened not to My voice, And Israel hath not consented to Me.