IF MY PEOPLE WOULD BUT LISTEN
Key verse: 13
NIV
Psalm 81[a]
For the director of music. According to gittith.[b] Of Asaph.
1 Sing for joy to God our strength;
shout aloud to the God of Jacob!(A)
2 Begin the music, strike the timbrel,(B)
play the melodious harp(C) and lyre.(D)
3 Sound the ram’s horn(E) at the New Moon,(F)
and when the moon is full, on the day of our festival;
4 this is a decree for Israel,
an ordinance of the God of Jacob.(G)
5 When God went out against Egypt,(H)
he established it as a statute for Joseph.
I heard an unknown voice say:(I)
6 “I removed the burden(J) from their shoulders;(K)
their hands were set free from the basket.
7 In your distress you called(L) and I rescued you,
I answered(M) you out of a thundercloud;
I tested you at the waters of Meribah.[c](N)
8 Hear me, my people,(O) and I will warn you—
if you would only listen to me, Israel!
9 You shall have no foreign god(P) among you;
you shall not worship any god other than me.
10 I am the Lord your God,
who brought you up out of Egypt.(Q)
Open(R) wide your mouth and I will fill(S) it.
11 “But my people would not listen to me;
Israel would not submit to me.(T)
12 So I gave them over(U) to their stubborn hearts
to follow their own devices.
13 “If my people would only listen to me,(V)
if Israel would only follow my ways,
14 how quickly I would subdue(W) their enemies
and turn my hand against(X) their foes!
15 Those who hate the Lord would cringe(Y) before him,
and their punishment would last forever.
16 But you would be fed with the finest of wheat;(Z)
with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”
Footnotes
- Psalm 81:1 In Hebrew texts 81:1-16 is numbered 81:2-17.
- Psalm 81:1 Title: Probably a musical term
- Psalm 81:7 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.
Cross references
- Psalm 81:1 : S Ps 66:1
- Psalm 81:2 : S Ex 15:20
- Psalm 81:2 : Ps 92:3
- Psalm 81:2 : S Job 21:12
- Psalm 81:3 : S Ex 19:13
- Psalm 81:3 : S Ne 10:33
- Psalm 81:4 : ver 1
- Psalm 81:5 : S Ex 11:4
- Psalm 81:5 : Ps 114:1
- Psalm 81:6 : S Ex 1:14
- Psalm 81:6 : Isa 9:4; 52:2
- Psalm 81:7 : S Ex 2:23
- Psalm 81:7 : Ex 19:19
- Psalm 81:7 : S Ex 17:7; S Dt 33:8
- Psalm 81:8 : Ps 50:7; 78:1
- Psalm 81:9 : S Ex 20:3
- Psalm 81:10 : S Ex 6:6; S 13:3; S 29:46
- Psalm 81:10 : Eze 2:8
- Psalm 81:10 : Ps 107:9
- Psalm 81:11 : Ex 32:1-6
- Psalm 81:12 : Eze 20:25; Ac 7:42; Ro 1:24
- Psalm 81:13 : S Dt 5:29
- Psalm 81:14 : Ps 47:3
- Psalm 81:14 : Am 1:8
- Psalm 81:15 : S 2Sa 22:45
- Psalm 81:16 : S Dt 32:14
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway
ESV
Oh, That My People Would Listen to Me
To the choirmaster: according to (A)The Gittith.[a] Of (B)Asaph.81 (C)Sing aloud to God our strength;
(D)shout for joy to the God of Jacob!
2 Raise a song; sound (E)the tambourine,
(F)the sweet lyre with (G)the harp.
3 Blow the trumpet at (H)the new moon,
at the full moon, on our feast day.
4 For it is a statute for Israel,
a rule[b] of the God of Jacob.
5 He made it (I)a decree in (J)Joseph
when he (K)went out over[c] the land of Egypt.
(L)I hear a language (M)I had not known:
6 “I (N)relieved your[d] shoulder of (O)the burden;
your hands were freed from the basket.
7 In distress you (P)called, and I delivered you;
I (Q)answered you in the secret place of thunder;
I (R)tested you at the waters of Meribah. Selah
8 (S)Hear, O my people, while I admonish you!
O Israel, if you would but listen to me!
9 There shall be no (T)strange god among you;
you shall not bow down to a (U)foreign god.
10 (V)I am the Lord your God,
who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.
(W)Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.
11 “But my people did not listen to my voice;
Israel (X)would not submit to me.
12 So I (Y)gave them over to their (Z)stubborn hearts,
to follow their own (AA)counsels.
13 (AB)Oh, that my people would listen to me,
that Israel would (AC)walk in my ways!
14 I would soon subdue their enemies
and (AD)turn my hand against their foes.
15 Those who hate the Lord would (AE)cringe toward him,
and their fate would last forever.
16 But he would feed you[e] with (AF)the finest of the wheat,
and with (AG)honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”
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Footnotes
- Psalm 81:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term
- Psalm 81:4 Or just decree
- Psalm 81:5 Or against
- Psalm 81:6 Hebrew his; also next line
- Psalm 81:16 That is, Israel; Hebrew him
Cross references
- Psalm 81:1 : Ps. 8, title; 84, title
- Psalm 81:1 : Ps. 50, title
- Psalm 81:1 : [Deut. 32:43]
- Psalm 81:1 : See Ps. 66:1
- Psalm 81:2 : Ex. 15:20
- Psalm 81:2 : Ps. 71:22
- Psalm 81:2 : Ps. 71:22
- Psalm 81:3 : Lev. 23:24; Num. 10:10; 29:1
- Psalm 81:5 : Ps. 122:4; [Ps. 78:5]
- Psalm 81:5 : Ps. 77:15; 78:67; 80:1
- Psalm 81:5 : Ex. 11:4
- Psalm 81:5 : Ps. 114:1
- Psalm 81:5 : [Deut. 28:49; Jer. 5:15]
- Psalm 81:6 : Isa. 9:4; 10:27
- Psalm 81:6 : Ex. 1:11
- Psalm 81:7 : Ps. 50:15; [Ex. 2:23; 14:10]
- Psalm 81:7 : Ex. 19:19; See Ps. 18:11-14
- Psalm 81:7 : Ex. 17:7; Num. 20:13
- Psalm 81:8 : See Ps. 50:7
- Psalm 81:9 : Ps. 44:20; Isa. 43:12; [Ex. 20:3]
- Psalm 81:9 : Deut. 32:12
- Psalm 81:10 : Ex. 20:2
- Psalm 81:10 : [Ps. 37:3, 4]
- Psalm 81:11 : Ex. 32:1; Deut. 32:15, 18; Prov. 1:25, 30
- Psalm 81:12 : Job 8:4; [Acts 7:42; 14:16; Rom. 1:24, 26]
- Psalm 81:12 : [Deut. 29:19]
- Psalm 81:12 : Ps. 106:43; Jer. 7:24; Mic. 6:16
- Psalm 81:13 : Deut. 5:29; 32:29; Isa. 48:18
- Psalm 81:13 : Deut. 5:33
- Psalm 81:14 : Amos 1:8
- Psalm 81:15 : Ps. 18:44
- Psalm 81:16 : Ps. 147:14; Deut. 32:14
- Psalm 81:16 : Deut. 32:13; [Job 29:6; Ezek. 16:19]
81 (C)Sing aloud to God our strength;
(D)shout for joy to the God of Jacob!
2 Raise a song; sound (E)the tambourine,
(F)the sweet lyre with (G)the harp.
3 Blow the trumpet at (H)the new moon,
at the full moon, on our feast day.
4 For it is a statute for Israel,
a rule[b] of the God of Jacob.
5 He made it (I)a decree in (J)Joseph
when he (K)went out over[c] the land of Egypt.
(L)I hear a language (M)I had not known:
6 “I (N)relieved your[d] shoulder of (O)the burden;
your hands were freed from the basket.
7 In distress you (P)called, and I delivered you;
I (Q)answered you in the secret place of thunder;
I (R)tested you at the waters of Meribah. Selah
8 (S)Hear, O my people, while I admonish you!
O Israel, if you would but listen to me!
9 There shall be no (T)strange god among you;
you shall not bow down to a (U)foreign god.
10 (V)I am the Lord your God,
who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.
(W)Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.
11 “But my people did not listen to my voice;
Israel (X)would not submit to me.
12 So I (Y)gave them over to their (Z)stubborn hearts,
to follow their own (AA)counsels.
13 (AB)Oh, that my people would listen to me,
that Israel would (AC)walk in my ways!
14 I would soon subdue their enemies
and (AD)turn my hand against their foes.
15 Those who hate the Lord would (AE)cringe toward him,
and their fate would last forever.
16 But he would feed you[e] with (AF)the finest of the wheat,
and with (AG)honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”
Footnotes
- Psalm 81:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term
- Psalm 81:4 Or just decree
- Psalm 81:5 Or against
- Psalm 81:6 Hebrew his; also next line
- Psalm 81:16 That is, Israel; Hebrew him
Cross references
- Psalm 81:1 : Ps. 8, title; 84, title
- Psalm 81:1 : Ps. 50, title
- Psalm 81:1 : [Deut. 32:43]
- Psalm 81:1 : See Ps. 66:1
- Psalm 81:2 : Ex. 15:20
- Psalm 81:2 : Ps. 71:22
- Psalm 81:2 : Ps. 71:22
- Psalm 81:3 : Lev. 23:24; Num. 10:10; 29:1
- Psalm 81:5 : Ps. 122:4; [Ps. 78:5]
- Psalm 81:5 : Ps. 77:15; 78:67; 80:1
- Psalm 81:5 : Ex. 11:4
- Psalm 81:5 : Ps. 114:1
- Psalm 81:5 : [Deut. 28:49; Jer. 5:15]
- Psalm 81:6 : Isa. 9:4; 10:27
- Psalm 81:6 : Ex. 1:11
- Psalm 81:7 : Ps. 50:15; [Ex. 2:23; 14:10]
- Psalm 81:7 : Ex. 19:19; See Ps. 18:11-14
- Psalm 81:7 : Ex. 17:7; Num. 20:13
- Psalm 81:8 : See Ps. 50:7
- Psalm 81:9 : Ps. 44:20; Isa. 43:12; [Ex. 20:3]
- Psalm 81:9 : Deut. 32:12
- Psalm 81:10 : Ex. 20:2
- Psalm 81:10 : [Ps. 37:3, 4]
- Psalm 81:11 : Ex. 32:1; Deut. 32:15, 18; Prov. 1:25, 30
- Psalm 81:12 : Job 8:4; [Acts 7:42; 14:16; Rom. 1:24, 26]
- Psalm 81:12 : [Deut. 29:19]
- Psalm 81:12 : Ps. 106:43; Jer. 7:24; Mic. 6:16
- Psalm 81:13 : Deut. 5:29; 32:29; Isa. 48:18
- Psalm 81:13 : Deut. 5:33
- Psalm 81:14 : Amos 1:8
- Psalm 81:15 : Ps. 18:44
- Psalm 81:16 : Ps. 147:14; Deut. 32:14
- Psalm 81:16 : Deut. 32:13; [Job 29:6; Ezek. 16:19]
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
1. Sing for joy (1-7)
God wants his people to be joyful. When he redeemed them from bondage in Egypt, removing the burden from their shoulders, he ordained a time of feasting and celebration. He maintained a loving relationship with them (7). This joy belongs to everyone who has been set free from bondage to sin by the grace of God.
2. Hear, O my people (8-16)
When God's people listen to his word, he continues to bless them and satisfy all their needs. But God hates idolatry. Idolatry is unfaithfulness to the covenant relationship. God does not want our hearts to be divided. If God's people refuse to listen to his word, he will give them over to follow their own ways. This leads to disaster. When they listen to his word and follow his ways, he subdues their enemies and gives them peace and abundance.
Prayer: Lord, tear the idols from my heart; forgive me for following my own ways. Help me to listen to your word and obey you, and rejoice.
One Word: Listen to God's word, obey, and rejoice
