Psalms 81

The psalm shifts from a celebratory call to worship (v. 1-4) to a historical reflection (v. 5-7), concluding with a prophetic, pastoral lament that transitions into a warning of judgment (v. 8-16).

• I am the Lord thy God... open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it (v. 10).
• I should soon have subdued their enemies (v. 14).
• He should have fed them also with the finest of the wheat: and with honey out of the rock should I have satisfied thee (v. 16).

• Sing aloud unto God our strength (v. 1).
• Make a joyful noise (v. 1).
• Blow up the trumpet in the new moon (v. 3).
• Hear, O my people, and I will testify unto thee (v. 8).
• There shall no strange god be in thee; neither shalt thou worship any strange god (v. 9).

• If thou wilt hearken unto me, there shall no strange god be in thee (implied warning of judgment if there is) (v. 9).
• My people would not hearken to my voice; and Israel would none of me (v. 11).
• So I gave them up unto their own hearts' lust: and they walked in their own counsels (v. 12).

• The mention of 'Joseph' and 'Egypt' (v. 5) points back to the Exodus, serving as the foundational historical event for Israel's identity.
• The 'new moon' and 'full moon' references suggest the setting of the Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah) or the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot).

• The 'gittith' likely refers to a specific musical style or instrument brought from Gath, used in public worship.
• The 'trumpet' (shophar) was used to summon the congregation for religious assemblies.

• Psalm 81 is one of the Asaphic psalms, which are often characterized by a strong prophetic tone and a focus on God's judgment and history with Israel.

• The phrase 'I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt' (v. 10) is a direct citation of the prologue to the Decalogue (Exodus 20:2).
• The reference to 'Meribah' (v. 7) recalls the incident in Exodus 17:7 where Israel tested God; the Psalmist uses this to contrast God's faithfulness with Israel's faithlessness.

• The command to open the mouth and be filled (v. 10) serves as a precursor to the New Testament theme of asking in faith (James 1:5; Matthew 7:7).

• נָצַח [H5329] 'choirmaster/chief musician': Derived from the concept of being permanent or preeminent, suggesting the psalm was intended for enduring Temple liturgy.
• רָנַן [H7442] 'sing aloud': Emphasizes a vocal intensity, often associated with shouting for joy, reflecting the fervor of the festival.
• סוּר [H5493] 'relieved': Literally 'to turn off' or 'to cause to pass away', depicting the removal of a literal yoke from the shoulder.
• שָׁמַע [H8085] 'hear/hearken': Used throughout to contrast the act of 'hearing' with 'obeying'; in Hebrew thought, hearing is incomplete without obedience.

• Matthew Henry observes that the passage reflects a tension between God’s desire to see His people satisfied and the reality of human self-will. This touches on the debate of divine sovereignty versus human responsibility. Reformed perspectives emphasize that God’s 'giving them up' (v. 12) is a judicial act of leaving sinners to their chosen path, while others might view it as an example of God’s respect for human free will, though both acknowledge the tragic result of divine abandonment.
• The shift in pronouns: The Psalmist begins by speaking *about* God (v. 1-5), but the text transitions into God speaking *in the first person* (v. 6-16), indicating a shift from liturgical praise to prophetic oracle.

• There is debate over whether 'full moon' (כֶּסֶא - v. 3) refers to the Feast of Booths (Sukkot), which begins on the full moon, or a more generalized festival period.