81:1-5Israel's holidays reminded the nation of God's great miracles. They were times of rejoicing and times to renew one’s strength for life’s daily struggles. At Christmas, do your thoughts revolve mostly around presents? Is Easter only a warm anticipation of spring and Thanksgiving only a good meal? Remember the spiritual origins of these special days, and use them as opportunities to worship God for his goodness to you, your family, and your nation.
Life Application Study BiblePsalmsChapter 81
Psalm 81
New Living Translation · Life Application Study Bible · Original pages: 931, 932
A few verse numbers on this page were hard to read in the scan and are marked with a dotted underline — compare with the original page image if in doubt.
81Psalm 81
1Sing praises to God, our strength.Sing to the God of Jacob.
2Sing! Beat the tambourine.Play the sweet lyre and the harp.
3Blow the ram’s horn at new moon,and again at full moon to call a festival!
4For this is required by the decrees of Israel;it is a regulation of the God of Jacob.
5He made it a law for Israel*when he attacked Egypt to set us free.Theard an unknown voice say,
6“Now I will take the load from your shoulders;I will free your hands from their heavy tasks.
7You cried to me in trouble, and I saved you;I answered out of the thundercloudand tested your faith when there was no water at Meribah.
8“Listen to me, O my people, while I give you stern warnings.O Israel, if you would only listen to me!
9You must never have a foreign god;you must not bow down before a false god.
10For it was I, the LORD your God,who rescued you from the land of Egypt.Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it with good things.
11“But no, my people wouldn't listen.Israel did not want me around.
12So I let them follow their own stubborn desires,living according to their own ideas.
13Oh, that my people would listen to me!Oh, that Israel would follow me, walking in my paths!
14How quickly I would then subdue their enemies!How soon my hands would be upon their foes!
15Those who hate the LORD would cringe before him,they would be doomed forever.
16But I would feed you with the finest wheat.I would satisfy you with wild honey from the rock.”81: TITLE Hebrew according fo the gittith. 81:5 Hebrew for Joseph.
Theme: A fair judge. God will judge the wicked who have IAuthor: Asaph
Life Application Notes 4 notes
81:2-4David instituted music for the Temple worship services (1 Chronicles 25). Music and worship go hand in hand. Worship involves the whole person, and music helps lift a person’s thoughts and emotions to God. Through music we can reflect upon our needs and shortcomings as well as celebrate God's greatness.
81:11,12God let the Israelites go on blindly, stubbornly, and selfishly, when they should have been obeying and following God’s desires. God sometimes lets us continue in our stubbornness to bring us to our senses. He does not keep us from rebelling because he wants us to learn the consequences of sin. He uses these experiences to turn people away from greater sin to faith in him.
81:13-16God had provided in his covenant that he would restore his people if they would listen to him and return to him (Exodus 23:22-27; Leviticus 26:3-13; Deuteronomy 7:12-26; 28:1-14). God remains faithfu! in our relationship with him (2 Timothy 2:11-13), patiently waiting for our response so he can pour out his blessings. Conduct an inventory of your spiritual life right now. In what ways are you allowing God to affect your daily decisions?
Charts, profiles & sidebars from the printed pages
Study feature · page 932
Interlude
Study feature · page 932
His argument was as follows: If God would call mere people “gods,” why was it blasphemous for him, the true Son of God, to declare himself equal with God? 83:5-8 This alliance against God may refer to the gathering of certain kings to fight against Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah (2 Chronicles 20). The psaim’s author is called Asaph, but it could be Asaph or one of his descendants. A descendant of Asaph named Jahaziel prophesied victory for Judah in the battle against Jehoshaphat (2 Chronicies 20:13-17) and exclaimed, “The battle is not yours, but God’s” (2 Chronicles 20:15). God is “the Most High, supreme over all the earth” (83:18), and the enemies of Israel were considered God’s enemies. 83:6 The Hagrites may have been the descendants of Hagar (Genesis 21:8-21).