Psalms 81
What Happens in This Chapter
This song calls Israel to celebrate God with music and horns at a feast day. It remembers how God freed his people from hard work in Egypt and cared for them. Then God speaks: he asks his people to listen and worship only him, and he remembers that they would not. He says what good things he would have given them if they had followed his ways.
Plain reading written for kids. Short sentences, everyday words, one idea at a time.
Sing aloud unto God our strength: make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob.
1Sing out loud to God. He makes us strong. Make a happy noise to the God of Jacob.
2Take a psalm, and bring hither the timbrel, the pleasant harp with the psaltery.
2Start a song. Bring the hand drum. Play the sweet harp and the lyre.
The KJV says "timbrel" and "psaltery." A timbrel is a small hand drum, like a tambourine. A psaltery is a stringed instrument much like a harp.
3Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast day.
3Blow the horn when the new moon comes. Blow it again at our feast day.
4For this was a statute for Israel, and a law of the God of Jacob.
4This is a rule God gave to Israel. The God of Jacob made it a law.
5This he ordained in Joseph for a testimony, when he went out through the land of Egypt: where I heard a language that I understood not.
5God gave this rule to Joseph's family long ago. He gave it when he came against the land of Egypt. There I heard a language I did not know.
6I removed his shoulder from the burden: his hands were delivered from the pots.
6God says, "I lifted the heavy load off his shoulder. His hands were set free from carrying baskets."
7Thou calledst in trouble, and I delivered thee; I answered thee in the secret place of thunder: I proved thee at the waters of Meribah. Selah.
7"You called to me when you were in trouble, and I saved you. I answered you out of the thundercloud. I tested you at the water of Meribah." Selah
"Selah" is a word left in Hebrew. No one is sure what it meant. It may have been a music mark, like a pause. Meribah was a place in the desert where Israel had no water and argued with God.
8Hear, O my people, and I will testify unto thee: O Israel, if thou wilt hearken unto me;
8"Listen, my people, and I will warn you. Israel, I wish you would listen to me."
9There shall no strange god be in thee; neither shalt thou worship any strange god.
9"You must not keep any other god among you. Do not bow down to a god from another land."
10I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.
10"I am the LORD your God. I brought you up out of Egypt. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it."
11But my people would not hearken to my voice; and Israel would none of me.
11"But my people would not listen to me. Israel would not obey me."
12So I gave them up unto their own hearts’ lust: and they walked in their own counsels.
12"So I let them follow their stubborn hearts. They went their own way and did as they pleased."
13Oh that my people had hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my ways!
13"If only my people would listen to me! If only Israel would walk in my ways!"
14I should soon have subdued their enemies, and turned my hand against their adversaries.
14"Then I would quickly beat down their enemies. I would turn my hand against those who fight them."
15The haters of the LORD should have submitted themselves unto him: but their time should have endured for ever.
15"People who hate the LORD would pretend to obey him. But their punishment would last forever."
The KJV says "their time should have endured for ever." It means their punishment would go on forever, not their life.
16He should have fed them also with the finest of the wheat: and with honey out of the rock should I have satisfied thee.
16"I would feed you the very best wheat. I would fill you with honey from the rock."
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