Sing aloud unto God our strength: make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob.
Psalms 81:1-16.-I. Invitation to keep joyfully the Passover feast (Psalms 81:1-3), for it is a testimony to the fact that God delivered Israel out of Egyptian bondage (Psalms 81:4-7). II. God urges Israel therefore to serve Him alone; but Israel would not hearken: therefore He gave her up to have her own lusts (Psalms 81:8-12); now He promises, if she will walk in His walk in His ways, He will subdue her foes, and nourish her with good (Psalms 81:13-16). The Church speaks in Psalms 81:1-5; the Lord in Psalms 81:6-14; the Church again in Psalms 81:15-16. Psalms 81:8 here answers to Psalms 50:7, another of Asaph's psalms.
On the Title, Upon Gittith, cf. note, title, Psalms 8:1-9.
Sing aloud unto God our strength. He has in past times manifested His "strength" in delivering us out of adversity (Psalms 81:5-7; Psalms 81:10), and will now again do so, if we hearken to Him, "our refuge, and strength, a very present Help in trouble" (Psalms 81:14-16; Psalms 46:1).