Focused Passage

Psalms 81:11-16

Festival Praise, Covenant Hearing, and the God Who Longs to Satisfy His People

The psalm moves from loud festival summons, to covenant statute and exodus memory, into a first-person divine oracle recalling deliverance, warning against foreign gods, exposing Israel's refusal, and ending with God's yearning promise of victory and satisfaction if His people would listen and walk in His ways.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

11But My people would not listen to Me, and Israel would not obey Me.

12So I gave them up to their stubborn hearts to follow their own devices.

13If only My people would listen to Me, if Israel would follow My ways,

14how soon I would subdue their enemies and turn My hand against their foes!

15Those who hate the LORD would feign obedience, and their doom would last forever.

16But I would feed you the finest wheat; with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 11

Cross-references

Romans 1:24Classic cross-references Hebrews 3:7Classic cross-references Revelation 3:15Classic cross-references 2 Thessalonians 2:11Classic cross-references Jeremiah 2:13Classic cross-references

Original words

But My peopleעַמִּ֣יH5971Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular. . .לְקוֹלִ֑יH6963Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singularwould notוְלֹא־H3808Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particlelisten to Meשָׁמַ֣עH8085Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularand Israelוְ֝יִשְׂרָאֵ֗לH3478Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singularwould notלֹא־H3808Adverb - Negative particleobeyאָ֥בָהH14Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularMeלִֽי׃Preposition | first person common singular

Verse 12

Cross-references

Isaiah 44:18Classic cross-references Psalms 1:1Classic cross-references Jeremiah 7:24Classic cross-references Romans 1:24Classic cross-references Revelation 22:11Classic cross-references

Original words

So I gave them upוָֽ֭אֲשַׁלְּחֵהוּH7971Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular | third person masculine singularto their stubbornבִּשְׁרִיר֣וּתH8307Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular constructheartsלִבָּ֑םH3820Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine pluralto followיֵ֝לְכ֗וּH1980Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine pluraltheir own devicesבְּֽמוֹעֲצוֹתֵיהֶֽם׃H4156Preposition-b | Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine plural

Verse 13

Cross-references

Hebrews 3:7Classic cross-references Ephesians 2:10Classic cross-references Isaiah 48:18Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 5:29Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 10:12Classic cross-references

Original words

If onlyל֗וּH3863PrepositionMy peopleעַ֭מִּיH5971Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singularwould listenשֹׁמֵ֣עַֽH8085Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularto Meלִ֑יPreposition | first person common singularif Israelיִ֝שְׂרָאֵ֗לH3478Noun - proper - masculine singularwould followיְהַלֵּֽכוּ׃H1980Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralMy waysבִּדְרָכַ֥יH1870Preposition-b | Noun - common plural construct | first person common singular

Verse 14

Cross-references

Amos 1:8Classic cross-references Judges 2:20Classic cross-references Joshua 23:13Classic cross-references Leviticus 26:8Classic cross-references Numbers 14:9Classic cross-references

Original words

how soonכִּ֭מְעַטH4592Preposition-k | Adjective - masculine singularI would subdueאַכְנִ֑יעַH3665Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singulartheir enemiesאוֹיְבֵיהֶ֣םH341Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | third person masculine pluraland turnאָשִׁ֥יבH7725Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singularMy handיָדִֽי׃H3027Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singularagainstוְעַ֥לH5921Conjunctive waw | Prepositiontheir foesצָ֝רֵיהֶ֗םH6862Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural

Verse 15

Cross-references

Psalms 66:3Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 7:10Classic cross-references Psalms 18:44Classic cross-references 2 Samuel 22:45Classic cross-references Exodus 20:5Classic cross-references

Original words

Those who hateמְשַׂנְאֵ֣יH8130Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine plural constructthe LORDיְ֭הוָהH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularwould feign obedienceיְכַֽחֲשׁוּ־H3584Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine pluraland their doomעִתָּ֣םH6256Noun - common singular construct | third person masculine pluralwould last foreverוִיהִ֖יH1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Jussive - third person masculine singular. . .לְעוֹלָֽם׃H5769Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular

Verse 16

Cross-references

Deuteronomy 32:13Classic cross-references Matthew 7:8Classic cross-references Psalms 147:14Classic cross-references 1 Samuel 14:25Classic cross-references Job 29:6Classic cross-references

Original words

But I would feed youוַֽ֭יַּאֲכִילֵהוּH398Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singularthe finestמֵחֵ֣לֶבH2459Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular constructwheatחִטָּ֑הH2406Noun - feminine singularwith honeyדְּבַ֣שׁH1706Noun - masculine singularfrom the rockוּ֝מִצּ֗וּרH6697Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular constructI would satisfy youאַשְׂבִּיעֶֽךָ׃H7646Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singular | second person masculine singular

Read full chapter context All Psalms chapters

<- Psalms 80 Psalms 81 Psalms 82 ->