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The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 81:16

He should have fed them also; rather, he should feed. With the finest of the wheat; literally, with the fat of the wheat (comp. Deuteronomy 32:14 and Psalms 147:14 ). And with honey out of the rock should I have satisfied thee; rather, would I satisfy thee . The expression, "honey out of the rock," is taken from Deuteronomy 32:13 . It evidently means "honey of the best"—native honey, stored by the bees in clefts of the rocks. Of course, both the "wheat" and the "honey" are... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Psalms 81:7

Thou calledst in trouble - The people of Israel. Exodus 2:23; Exodus 3:9; Exodus 14:10.And I delivered thee - I brought the people out of Egypt.I answered thee in the secret place of thunder - That is, in the lonely, retired, solemn place where the thunder rolled; the solitudes where there was no voice but the voice of thunder, and where that seemed to come from the deep recesses of the mountain gorges. The allusion is doubtless to Sinai. Compare Exodus 19:17-19. The meaning is, that he gave a... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Psalms 81:8

Hear, O my people, and I will testify unto thee ... - See the notes at the similar passage in Psalms 50:7. God calls their attention to what he required of them; to what his law demanded; to what was the condition of their being his people and of securing his favor. What the demanded was, that they should acknowledge him; obey him; serve him; that there should be no strange god among them, and that they should worship no false god, Psalms 81:9. read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Psalms 81:9

There shall no strange god be in thee - Worshipped by thee; or recognized and regarded as a god. This was a condition of his favor and friendship. Compare Deuteronomy 32:12; Isaiah 43:12. The word here rendered “strange” - זר zār - has reference to one of a foreign nation; and the meaning is, that they were not to worship or adore the gods that were worshipped by foreigners. This was a fundamental law of the Hebrew commonwealth.Neither shalt thou worship any strange god - The Hebrew word here... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Psalms 81:10

I am the Lord thy God ... - See Exodus 20:2. The meaning is, “I am Yahweh, that God; the God to be worshipped and honored by thee; I only am thy God, and no other god is to be recognized or acknowledged by thee.” The foundation of the claim to exclusive service and devotion is here laid in the fact that he had brought them out of the land of Egypt. Literally, had caused them to ascend, or go up from that land. The claim thus asserted seems to be twofold:(a) that in doing this, he had shown that... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Psalms 81:11

But my people ... - See Psalms 78:10-11, Psalms 78:17-19. “And Israel would none of me.” Literally, “Did not will me;” that is, “did not incline to me; were not attached to me; were not disposed to worship me, and to find happiness in me.” Compare Isaiah 1:19; Job 39:9; Proverbs 1:25. They refused or rejected him. See Exodus 32:1; Deuteronomy 32:15, Deuteronomy 32:18. read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Psalms 81:12

So I gave them up unto their own hearts’ lust - Margin, as in Hebrew, to the hardness of their own hearts. Literally, “I sent them, or I dismissed them, to the hardness of their hearts.” I suffered them to have what, in the hardness of their hearts they desired, or what their hard and rebellious hearts prompted them to desire: I indulged them in their wishes. I gave them what they asked, and left them to themselves to work out the problem about success and happiness in their own way - to let... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Psalms 81:13

Oh that my people had hearkened unto me - This passage is designed mainly to show what would have been the consequences if the Hebrew people had been obedient to the commands of God, Psalms 81:14-16. At the same time, however, it expresses what was the earnest desire - the wish - the preference of God, namely, that they had been obedient, and had enjoyed his favor. This is in accordance with all the statements, all the commands, all the invitations, all the warnings, in the Bible. In the entire... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Psalms 81:14

I should soon have subdued their enemies - This is one of the consequences which, it is said, would have followed if they had been obedient to the laws of God. The phrase rendered soon means literally like a little; that is, as we might say, in a little, to wit, in a little time. The word rendered subdued means to bow down; to be curved or bent; and the idea is, that he would have caused them to bow down, to wit, by submission before them. Compare Deuteronomy 32:29-30.And turned my hand against... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Psalms 81:15

The haters of the Lord - The enemies of the Lord, often represented as those who hate him - hatred being always in fact or in form connected with an unwillingness to submit to God. It is hatred of his law; hatred of his government; hatred of his plans; hatred of his character. See Romans 1:30; John 7:7, John 15:18, John 15:23-25. Compare Exodus 20:5.Should have submitted themselves unto him - Margin, yielded retained obedience. Hebrew, lied. See the phrase explained in the notes at Psalms... read more

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