Psalm 81 JPS Tanakh (1917)
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (2)
- Greek and Latin Bibles number most Psalms one lower than Hebrew and English Bibles.
- Numbers like (22-2) in the text give the Hebrew verse numbering where it differs.
1 For the Leader; upon the Gittith. A Psalm of Asaph. (81-2) Sing aloud unto God our strength; shout unto the God of Jacob.
1 For the Chief Musician. On an instrument of Gath. By Asaph. Sing aloud to God, our strength! Make a joyful shout to the God of Jacob!
2 (81-3) Take up the melody, and sound the timbrel, the sweet harp with the psaltery.
2 Raise a song, and bring here the tambourine, the pleasant lyre with the harp.
3 (81-4) Blow the horn at the new moon, at the full moon for our feast-day.
3 Blow the trumpet at the New Moon, at the full moon, on our feast day.
4 (81-5) For it is a statute for Israel, an ordinance of the God of Jacob.
4 For it is a statute for Israel, an ordinance of the God of Jacob.
5 (81-6) He appointed it in Joseph for a testimony, when He went forth against the land of Egypt. The speech of one that I knew not did I hear:
5 He appointed it in Joseph for a covenant, when he went out over the land of Egypt, I heard a language that I didn’t know.
6 (81-7) 'I removed his shoulder from the burden; His hands were freed from the basket.
6 “I removed his shoulder from the burden. His hands were freed from the basket.
7 (81-8) Thou didst call in trouble, and I rescued thee; I answered thee in the secret place of thunder; I proved thee at the waters of Meribah. Selah
7 You called in trouble, and I delivered you. I answered you in the secret place of thunder. I tested you at the waters of Meribah.” Selah.
8 (81-9) Hear, O My people, and I will admonish thee: O Israel, if thou wouldest hearken unto Me!
8 “Hear, my people, and I will testify to you, Israel, if you would listen to me!
9 (81-10) There shall no strange god be in thee; neither shalt thou worship any foreign god.
9 There shall be no strange god in you, neither shall you worship any foreign god.
10 (81-11) I am the LORD thy God, who brought thee up out of the land of Egypt; open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.
10 I am Yahweh, your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.
11 (81-12) But My people hearkened not to My voice; and Israel would none of Me.
11 But my people didn’t listen to my voice. Israel desired none of me.
12 (81-13) So I let them go after the stubbornness of their heart, that they might walk in their own counsels.
12 So I let them go after the stubbornness of their hearts, that they might walk in their own counsels.
13 (81-14) Oh that My people would hearken unto Me, that Israel would walk in My ways!
13 Oh that my people would listen to me, that Israel would walk in my ways!
14 (81-15) I would soon subdue their enemies, and turn My hand against their adversaries.
14 I would soon subdue their enemies, and turn my hand against their adversaries.
15 (81-16) The haters of the LORD should dwindle away before Him; and their punishment should endure for ever.
15 The haters of Yahweh would cringe before him, and their punishment would last forever.
16 (81-17) They should also be fed with the fat of wheat; and with honey out of the rock would I satisfy thee.'
16 But he would have also fed them with the finest of the wheat. I will satisfy you with honey out of the rock.”
Cross references (15)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Jeremiah 31:7; Psalm 66:1; Psalm 100:1–2; Philippians 4:13; Psalm 8:1
- 2 Psalm 149:1–3; Colossians 3:16; Psalm 92:3; Exodus 15:20; Ephesians 5:19
- 3 Leviticus 23:24–25; Numbers 15:3; 2 Chronicles 2:4; Numbers 10:1–10; Deuteronomy 16:15
- 5 Jeremiah 5:15; Deuteronomy 28:49; Psalm 114:1; 1 Corinthians 14:21–22; Isaiah 28:11
- 6 Isaiah 9:4; Isaiah 10:27; Exodus 6:6; Matthew 11:29; Exodus 1:14
- 7 Exodus 19:19; Numbers 20:13; Exodus 2:23; Psalm 50:15; Exodus 14:10
- 8 Psalm 50:7; Exodus 15:26; John 3:11; Isaiah 1:19; Isaiah 55:3–4
- 9 Isaiah 43:12; Deuteronomy 32:12; 1 Corinthians 8:5–6; Malachi 2:11; Deuteronomy 6:14
- 10 John 15:7; Exodus 20:2; Psalm 107:9; John 7:37; Revelation 21:6
- 11 Jeremiah 7:23–24; Deuteronomy 32:18; Jeremiah 2:11–13; Exodus 32:1; Zechariah 7:11
- 12 Jeremiah 7:24; Romans 1:24; Isaiah 30:1; Acts 7:42; 2 Thessalonians 2:9–11
- 13 Deuteronomy 5:29; Isaiah 48:18; Deuteronomy 10:12–13; Luke 19:41–42; Matthew 23:37
- 14 Judges 2:20–23; Amos 1:8; Joshua 23:13; Numbers 14:9; Psalm 47:3
- 15 Deuteronomy 7:10; Psalm 63:3; Romans 8:7; Romans 1:30; Joel 3:20
- 16 Deuteronomy 32:13–14; Psalm 147:14; 1 Samuel 14:25–26; Joel 2:24; Judges 14:18
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
If perchance things obscure demand the office of an interpreter, those things which are evident ought to require of me the office of a reader. The song here is of the Advent of the Lord and of our Saviour Jesus Christ, and of His vineyard.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 8 (1888)