81:1(To the chief Musician upon a Gittith, [A Psalm] of
Asaph.) Sing b aloud unto God our strength: make a
joyful noise unto the God of Jacob.
(a) An instrument of music brought from Geth.
(b) It seems that this psalm was appointed for solemn
feasts and assemblies of the people to whom for a time
these ceremonies were ordained, but now under the
gospel are abolished.
81:3 Blow up the trumpet in the c new moon, in the time
appointed, on our solemn feast day.
(c) Under this feast he comprehends all other solemn days.
81:5 This he ordained in d Joseph [for] a testimony, when he
went out through the land of Egypt: [where] I heard a
language [that] e I understood not.
(d) That is, in Israel for Joseph's family was counted the
chief while before, Judah was preferred.
(e) God speaks in the person of the people because he was
their leader.
81:6 I removed his shoulder from the burden: his hands were
delivered from the f pots.
(f) If they were never able to give sufficient thanks to
God, for this deliverance from corporal bondage, how
much more are we indebted to him for our spiritual
deliverance from the tyranny of Satan and sin?
81:7 Thou calledst in trouble, and I delivered thee; I g
answered thee in the secret place of thunder: I proved thee
at the waters of Meribah. Selah.
(g) By a strange and wonderful fashion.
81:8h Hear, O my people, and I will testify unto thee: O
Israel, if thou wilt hearken unto me;
(h) He condemns all assemblies where the people are not
attentive to hear God's voice, and to give obedience to
the same.
81:10 I [am] the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the
land of Egypt: i open thy mouth wide, and I will fill
it.
(i) God accuses their incredulity, because they did not
open their mouths to receive God's benefits in such
abundance as he pours them out.
81:13k Oh that my people had hearkened unto me, [and] Israel
had walked in my ways!
(k) God by his word calls all, but his secret election
appoints who will bear fruit.
81:14 I should soon have subdued their enemies, and turned my
hand l against their adversaries.
(l) If their sins had not.
81:15 The haters of the LORD should have submitted themselves
unto him: but their time m should have endured for ever.
(m) If the Israelites had not broken covenant with God, he
would have given them victory against their enemies.
81:16 He should have fed them also with the n finest of the
wheat: and with honey out of the rock should I have
satisfied thee.
(n) That is, with most fine wheat and abundance of honey.
