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81:1  For the director of music. By the gittith [C perhaps a musical term or instrument]. A psalm of Asaph [C a Levitical musician, a descendant of Gershon, at the time of David; 1 Chr. 6:39; 15:17; 2 Chr. 5:12]. Sing for joy to God, our strength; shout out loud to the God of Jacob [C another name for Israel].
81:2  ·Begin the music [Lift up a psalm]. ·Play [Sound; L Give] the tambourines [68:25; 149:3; 150:4; Ex. 15:20]. ·Play pleasant music on the harps [L …the pleasant/sweet harps] and lyres.
81:3  Blow the ·trumpet [ram’s horn] at ·the time of the New Moon [L the month; C a monthly religious festival], when the moon is full, when our feast begins.
81:4  This is the ·law [statute; ordinance; requirement] for Israel; it is the ·command [judgment] of the God of Jacob [v. 1].
81:5  He ·gave [set] this ·rule [decree; testimony] to the people of Joseph [C reference to the northern tribes] when they went out of the land of Egypt [C the exodus; Ex. 12–15]. I heard a ·language [L tongue] I did not know, saying [C God now speaks]:
81:6  “I ·took the load off [removed the burden from] their shoulders; ·I let them put down their baskets [L Their hands were removed from the baskets].
81:7  When you were in ·trouble [distress], you called, and I ·saved [rescued] you. I answered you ·with thunder [L in the secret place of thunder; Ex. 19:18–19]. I tested you at the waters of Meribah [95:8; 106:32; Ex. 17:1–17; Num. 20:1–13]. ·Selah [Interlude]
81:8  My people, listen. I ·am warning [bear testimony/witness against] you. Israel, please listen to me!
81:9  You must not have ·foreign [strange] gods; you must not worship any ·false [foreign] god.
81:10  I, the Lord, am your God, who brought you out of Egypt. ·Open [L Widen] your mouth and I will feed you [Deut. 29:6; 32:10–14].
81:11  “But my people did not listen to ·me [L my voice]; Israel did not ·want [accept] me.
81:12  So I ·let them go their stubborn way [L threw them away because of their stubborn hearts] and ·follow [walk according to] their own advice.
81:13  I wish my people would listen to me; I wish Israel would ·live [L walk on] my way.
81:14  Then I would quickly ·defeat [subdue; quell] their enemies and turn my hand against their foes.
81:15  Those who hate the Lord would ·bow [cringe; cower] before him. Their ·punishment [doom] would continue forever.
81:16  But I would give you the finest wheat [Deut. 32:14] and fill you with honey from the rocks [Deut. 32:13].”