Psa 81 | EE | STEP | This is for the music leader. Use Gittith. It is a psalm of Asaph. Sing to God because you are so happy! Do this because God makes us strong! Shout aloud to the God of Jacob.

Psalms 81

Start the Music!

This is for the music leader.

Use Gittith.

It is a psalm of Asaph. ^{▼▼81:0 The psalm is in three parts:
Verses 1-4: Now the Festival
Verses 5-7: What God did in Egypt
Verses 8-16: Trouble when you have other gods}

1 Sing to God because you are so happy!

Do this because God makes us strong!

Shout aloud to the God of Jacob. ^{▼▼81:1 In verses 1 and 4, ‘Jacob’ is another name for ‘Israel’, so ‘God of Jacob’ means ‘God of Israel.’ Really, there were two festivals in October, one when the moon was new, the other 2 weeks later when it was full. They are both in verse 3. The second one was the festival of tents. Older Bibles may call it ‘the feast of booths’ or ‘the feast of tabernacles.’}

2 Start the music! Hit the tambourine

and make beautiful sounds on the harp and the lyre.

3 Start the New Moon Festival with the sound of the shofar.

Do it at the Full Moon Festival also.

4 For this is a rule for Israel,

something that the God of Jacob said that we must do.

5 He told it to Joseph when he attacked the land of Egypt.

I heard a language that I did not understand. ^{▼▼81:5 In verse 5, Bible students are not certain whether the second ‘he’ is Joseph or God. Joseph, as Jacob, is another name for Israel. If it is God, then ‘attacked’ is when God led his people out from Egypt. If it is Joseph, then we should translate ‘attacked’ as ‘became great in.’ ‘The language’ must have been words that God said. Maybe ‘understand’ means ‘believe!’ Verse 6 tells us about the hard work that God’s people did in Egypt. Some parts of the Bible suggest that God lives in storms, verse 7. The Waters (or Lakes) of Meribah were on the way from Egypt to Israel. The story is in Exodus 17:1-7. Bible students think that SELAH means ‘stop and pray, or think, or make music.’}

6 It said ‘I took the weight off his shoulders.

His hands did not have to carry a heavy basket any more.

7 When you had trouble, you called to me and I made you safe.

I gave you help from the centre of the storm.

I tested you at the Waters of Meribah.

SELAH

8 My people, hear me! You are near to danger.

Israel, I really want you to listen to me!

9 There should not be another god among you

and you certainly should not go down on your knees to another god.

10 I am the LORD your God.

I brought you out of the land of Egypt.

Open your mouth wide and I will fill it.’ ^{▼▼81:10 In verses 8-10, God speaks to his people. He warns them (tells them of the danger) of other gods. These gods are false gods, because there is only one real God. ‘Open your mouth wide’ means ‘open it as much as you can.’ ‘I will fill it’ may mean:
– With food, as in verse 16, or
– With the right words to say and pray, not the wrong ones as in verses 10 and 11.}

11 But my people did not listen to my voice

and Israel did not obey me. ^{▼▼81:11 In verse 11 ‘follow their own ideas’ is an English way to say ‘do whatever they think.’}

12 And so I let them follow their own ideas.

They did whatever they wanted to do.

13 I want my people to listen to me!

I want Israel to walk in my ways!

14 Then I would quickly beat all their enemies

and fight against all those that are angry with them. ^{▼▼81:14 Verses 13 and 14 suggest that ‘following their own ideas’ had brought trouble. The psalm does not say what the trouble was. But it does say that if they obey God the trouble will stop. God would make their enemies obey him, verse 15, and be good to his own people, verse 16.}

15 The people that hate the LORD will be afraid of him

and this will happen for a long time.

16 But he would feed him Israel with the best wheat

and I would give you Israel plenty of honey from the rock.