Chapter commentary
Psalms Chapter 81
1
Ps 81:1-16.
2
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2. unites the most joyful kinds of music, vocal and instrumental.
3
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3. the new moon--or the month.
the time appointed--(Compare
Pr 7:20).
5
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5. a testimony--The feasts, especially the passover, attested God's relation to His people.
Joseph--for Israel
(Ps 80:1).
went out through--or, "over," that is, Israel in the exodus.
I heard--change of person. The writer speaks for the nation.
language--literally, "lip"
(Ps 14:1).
An aggravation or element of their distress that their oppressors were foreigners
(De 28:49).
6
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6. God's language alludes to the burdensome slavery of the Israelites.
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7. secret place--the cloud from which He troubled the Egyptians
(Ex 14:24).
proved thee--
(Ps 7:10; 17:3)
--tested their faith by the miracle.
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8. (Compare
Ps 50:7).
The reproof follows to
Ps 81:12.
if thou wilt hearken--He then propounds the terms of His covenant: they should worship Him alone, who
(Ps 81:10)
had delivered them, and would still confer all needed blessings.
11
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11, 12. They failed, and He gave them up to their own desires and hardness of heart
(De 29:18; Pr 1:30; Ro 11:25).
13
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13-16. Obedience would have secured all promised blessings and the subjection of foes. In this passage, "should have," "would have," &c., are better, "should" and "would" expressing God's intention at the time, that is, when they left Egypt.
Ps 81:1-16.
Gittith--(See on
Ps 8:1,
title). A festal Psalm, probably for the passover (compare
Mt 26:30),
in which, after an exhortation to praise God, He is introduced, reminding Israel of their obligations, chiding their neglect, and depicting the happy results of obedience.
1. our strength--
(Ps 38:7).