Psalms 81:1-16 - Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

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Bible Comments

After a summons to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles (Psalms 81:1-3) this Ps. recalls the meaning of Israel's national festivals as memorials of their deliverance from Egypt (Psalms 81:4-7). From Psalms 81:6 onward God is the speaker. In Psalms 81:8-10 He repeats His ancient command to Israel to worship Him alone, and in Psalms 81:11-12 He tells of their disobedience and its consequences. The concluding vv. express His desire that Israel may now prove more loyal than of old, that He may bless them with victory over their enemies, and with all outward prosperity (Psalms 81:13-16). There is nothing to fix the date of the Ps., except that the allusion to the feast in Psalms 81:1-3 shows that either the first or the second Temple was in existence when it was written, and that Psalms 81:14-15 point to a tirae when Israel was confronted by enemies. It was after the return from the exile that the Feast of Tabernacles came into greatest prominence (Ezra 3:4; Nehemiah 8:13-17; Zechariah 14:16-19).

Title.—Gittith] see on Psalms 8.

Related Commentaries of Psalms 81:1

Psalms 81:1-16

1 Sing aloud unto God our strength: make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob.

2 Take a psalm, and bring hither the timbrel, the pleasant harp with the psaltery.

3 Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast day.

4 For this was a statute for Israel, and a law of the God of Jacob.

5 This he ordained in Joseph for a testimony, when he went out through the land of Egypt: where I heard a language that I understood not.

6 I removed his shoulder from the burden: his hands were delivered from the pots.

7 Thou calledst in trouble, and I delivered thee; I answered thee in the secret place of thunder: I proved thee at the waters of Meribah.a Selah.

8 Hear, O my people, and I will testify unto thee: O Israel, if thou wilt hearken unto me;

9 There shall no strange god be in thee; neither shalt thou worship any strange god.

10 I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.

11 But my people would not hearken to my voice; and Israel would none of me.

12 So I gave them up unto their own hearts' lust: and they walked in their own counsels.

13 Oh that my people had hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my ways!

14 I should soon have subdued their enemies, and turned my hand against their adversaries.

15 The haters of the LORD should have submittedb themselves unto him: but their time should have endured for ever.

16 He should have fed them also with the finestc of the wheat: and with honey out of the rock should I have satisfied thee.