Psalm 81:8-16

⁸ Hear me, my people, and I will warn you- if you would only listen to me, Israel! ⁹ You shall have no foreign god among you; you shall not worship any god other than me. ¹⁰ I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of Egypt. Open wide your mouth and I will fill it. ¹¹ "But my people would not listen to me; Israel would not submit to me. ¹² So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts to follow their own devices. ¹³ "If my people would only listen to me, if Israel would only follow my ways, ¹⁴ how quickly I would subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their foes! ¹⁵ Those who hate the Lord would cringe before him, and their punishment would last forever. ¹⁶ But you would be fed with the finest of wheat; with honey from the rock I would satisfy you."

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Other Translations of Psalm 81:8-16

King James Version

⁸ Hear, O my people, and I will testify unto thee: O Israel, if thou wilt hearken unto me; ⁹ There shall no strange god be in thee; neither shalt thou worship any strange god. ¹⁰ I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it. ¹¹ But my people would not hearken to my voice; and Israel would none of me. ¹² So I gave them up unto their own hearts' lust: and they walked in their own counsels. ¹³ Oh that my people had hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my ways! ¹⁴ I should soon have subdued their enemies, and turned my hand against their adversaries. ¹⁵ The haters of the Lord should have submitted submitted...: or, yielded feigned obedience: Heb. lied themselves unto him: but their time should have endured for ever. ¹⁶ He should have fed them also with the finest finest...: Heb. fat of wheat of the wheat: and with honey out of the rock should I have satisfied thee.

English Standard Version

⁸ Hear, O my people, while I admonish you! O Israel, if you would but listen to me! ⁹ There shall be no strange god among you; you shall not bow down to a foreign god. ¹⁰ I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it. ¹¹ "But my people did not listen to my voice; Israel would not submit to me. ¹² So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts, to follow their own counsels. ¹³ Oh, that my people would listen to me, that Israel would walk in my ways! ¹⁴ I would soon subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their foes. ¹⁵ Those who hate the Lord would cringe toward him, and their fate would last forever. ¹⁶ But he would feed youThat is, Israel; Hebrew him with the finest of the wheat, and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you."

The Message

⁸ "Listen, dear ones - get this straight; O Israel, don't take this lightly. ⁹ Don't take up with strange gods, don't worship the latest in gods. ¹⁰ I'm God, your God, the very God who rescued you from doom in Egypt, Then fed you all you could eat, filled your hungry stomachs. ¹¹ "But my people didn't listen, Israel paid no attention; ¹² So I let go of the reins and told them, 'Run! Do it your own way!' ¹³ "Oh, dear people, will you listen to me now? Israel, will you follow my map? ¹⁴ I'll make short work of your enemies, give your foes the back of my hand. ¹⁵ I'll send the God-haters cringing like dogs, never to be heard from again. ¹⁶ You'll feast on my fresh-baked bread spread with butter and rock-pure honey."

New King James Version

⁸ "Hear, O My people, and I will admonish you! O Israel, if you will listen to Me! ⁹ There shall be no foreign god among you; Nor shall you worship any foreign god. ¹⁰ I am the Lord your God, Who brought you out of the land of Egypt; Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it. ¹¹ "But My people would not heed My voice, And Israel would have none of Me. ¹² So I gave them over to their own stubborn heart, To walk in their own counsels. ¹³ "Oh, that My people would listen to Me, That Israel would walk in My ways! ¹⁴ I would soon subdue their enemies, And turn My hand against their adversaries. ¹⁵ The haters of the Lord would pretend submission to Him, But their fate would endure forever. ¹⁶ He would have fed them also with the finest of wheat; And with honey from the rock I would have satisfied you."

New Living Translation

⁸ "Listen to me, OÂ my people, while I give you stern warnings. OÂ Israel, if you would only listen to me! ⁹ You must never have a foreign god; you must not bow down before a false god. ¹⁰ For 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. ¹² So I let them follow their own stubborn desires, living according to their own ideas. ¹³ Oh, that my people would listen to me! Oh, that Israel would follow me, walking in my paths! ¹⁴ How quickly I would then subdue their enemies! How soon my hands would be upon their foes! ¹⁵ Those who hate the Lord would cringe before him; they would be doomed forever. ¹⁶ But I would feed you with the finest wheat. I would satisfy you with wild honey from the rock."

Matthew Henry's Commentary on Psalm 81:8-16

Commentary on Psalm 81:8-16

(Read Psalm 81:8-16)

We cannot look for too little from the creature, nor too much from the Creator. We may have enough from God, if we pray for it in faith. All the wickedness of the world is owing to man's wilfulness. People are not religious, because they will not be so. God is not the Author of their sin, he leaves them to the lusts of their own hearts, and the counsels of their own heads; if they do not well, the blame must be upon themselves. The Lord is unwilling that any should perish. What enemies sinners are to themselves! It is sin that makes our troubles long, and our salvation slow. Upon the same conditions of faith and obedience, do Christians hold those spiritual and eternal good things, which the pleasant fields and fertile hills of Canaan showed forth. Christ is the Bread of life; he is the Rock of salvation, and his promises are as honey to pious minds. But those who reject him as their Lord and Master, must also lose him as their Saviour and their reward.