PSALM 81

Hear Him!

Call to worship (vv.1-5a)

1 Sing for joy to God our strength;		Shout joyfully to the God of Jacob.
2 Raise a song, strike the timbrel,		The sweet sounding lyre with the harp.
3 Blow the trumpet at the new moon,		At the full moon, on our feast day.
4 For it is a statute for Israel,	An ordinance of the God of Jacob.		5 He established it for a testimony in Joseph

God brought His people from Egypt to hear and obey Him (vv.5b-10)

When he went throughout the land of Egypt.			I heard a language that I did not know:
6 “I relieved his shoulder of the burden,			His hands were freed from the basket. [1]
7 “You called in trouble and I rescued you;		I answered you in the hiding place of thunder;		I proved you at the waters of Meribah. Selah.
8 “Hear, O My people, and I will admonish you;			O Israel, if you would listen to Me!
9 “Let there be no strange god among you;			Nor shall you worship any foreign god. [2]
10 “I, Yahweh, am your God,	Who brought you up from the land of Egypt; [3]			Open your mouth wide and I will fill it.

God’s people did not listen or obey (vv.11-16)

11 “But My people did not listen to My voice,	And Israel did not obey Me. [4]
12 “So I gave them over (let them go) [5] to the stubbornness of their heart,	To walk in their own devices. [6]
13 “Oh that My people would listen to Me,	That Israel would walk in My ways!
14 “I would quickly subdue their enemies	And turn My hand against their adversaries.
15 “Those who hate Yahweh would pretend obedience to Him,	And their time of punishment would be forever.
16 “But I would feed you with the finest of the wheat,	And with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.” (Deut.32:13)

[1] God also speaks directly in Psalms 2:5-9; 12:5; 50:7-22; 95:9-11; 108:7-9; 110:1,4.

[2] An allusion to the First Commandment in Deuteronomy 5:1,7 (cf. Exodus 20:3).

[3] An allusion to the Prologue to the Ten Commandments in Deuteronomy 5:1,6 (cf. Exodus 20:2). It is likely that this Psalm was sung during the Feast of Tabernacles/Booths when the book of Deuteronomy was to be publicly read (Deuteronomy 31:10-13).

[4] Psalm 81 is like Psalm 95 because in both Psalms God speaks (81:6-16 and 95:9-11) and both emphasize that Israel did not hear/obey God’s voice (81:11 and 95:7d). God also speaks directly in Psalm 50:7-23; 60:6b-8.

[5] The message of God to Pharaoh was “let My people go.” The same word is used now of God letting Israel go because of their disobedience. Three times “my people” is found in Psalm 81 and now they were hardening their hearts like Pharaoh. “My people” are in danger of being “let go” by Yahweh (Exodus 4:21-23; 5:1-2; 6:1,11; 7:14,16; 8:1,20-21; 9:1-2,13).

[6] The Westminster Catechism uses Psalm 81:11-12 as a proof text when discussing election (see also the Westminster Confession of Faith 5:6):

Q.68 of the Larger Catechism

Are the elect only effectually called?

All the elect, and they only, are effectually called: (Acts 13:48) although others may be, and often are, outwardly called by the ministry of the word, (Matt. 22:14) and have some common operations of the Spirit; (Matt. 7:22, Matt. 13:20–21, Heb. 6:4–6) who, for their willful neglect and contempt of the grace offered to them, being justly left in their unbelief, do never truly come to Jesus Christ. (John 12:38–40, Acts 28:25–27, John 6:64–65, Ps. 81:11–12)