Psalms 81 ~ Listen and Read Along

Dramatized KJV
 JV McGee
The psalm opens with a call to the Feast of Trumpets, and a declaration of its Divine appointment (81:1-5). Then the Psalmist expresses the attitude of God to His people, and the song proceeds as in the words of the LORD (v. 6~10). First He tells of His deliverance of them from bondage, and His answer to them at Sinai (v. 6~7). Then the LORD reminds them of the terms of the covenant with them. He would speak and they should harken. They were to have no God but Himself, and He would be to them the LORD thy God. They were to "open thy mouth wide" and He would fill it (v. 8~10). They failed in refusing to hearken and obey, and therefore He abandoned them to their choice (v. 11-12). Finally the LORD expresses His desire that they should return, and declares His ability still to deliver them (V. 13~16).

This is a psalm for the Feast of Trumpets. In the calendar of the Hebrews this feast prepared the way for the Day of Atonement and the Feast of Tabernacles. The first day of the seventh month was the feast of Trumpets. The tenth day of the seventh month was Atonement. The fifteenth day of the seventh month was Tabernacles (Leviticus 23:1~44).

The Treasury of David

 

Oh, That My People Would Listen to Me    

Psalms 81:1 To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm of Asaph. Sing aloud unto God our strength: make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob.
Psalms 81:2 Take a psalm, and bring hither the timbrel, the pleasant harp with the psaltery.
Psalms 81:3 Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast day.
Psalms 81:4 For this was a statute for Israel, and a law of the God of Jacob.
Psalms 81:5 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.
Psalms 81:6 I removed his shoulder from the burden: his hands were delivered from the pots.
Psalms 81:7 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. Selah.
Psalms 81:8 Hear, O my people, and I will testify unto thee: O Israel, if thou wilt hearken unto me;
Psalms 81:9 There shall no strange god be in thee; neither shalt thou worship any strange god.
Psalms 81:10 I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.
Psalms 81:11 But my people would not hearken to my voice; and Israel would none of me.
Psalms 81:12 So I gave them up unto their own hearts' lust: and they walked in their own counsels.
Psalms 81:13 Oh that my people had hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my ways!
Psalms 81:14 I should soon have subdued their enemies, and turned my hand against their adversaries.
Psalms 81:15 The haters of the LORD should have submitted themselves unto him: but their time should have endured for ever.
Psalms 81:16 He should have fed them also with the finest of the wheat: and with honey out of the rock should I have satisfied thee.
  
  
  
  
  
  
   Previous Chapter   Return HOME   Next Bible Chapter