Psalm 81
In this psalm God Himself taught the Children of Israel about His deliverance from Egypt and the covenant that they made at Mt. Sinai. The psalm also teaches Israel what their response was to God’s goodness.
Psalm 81 was an antiphonal festival hymn, used in the Temple especially during the time of the Passover, which again reminded Israel of their deliverance from the angel of death through the blood of the lamb. The “instrument of Gath” was a zither-like harp which David brought with him from the city of Gath.
In verses 1 to 2, the Old Testament church is encouraged to make loud praise to God for His mighty protection. The God of Jacob is the only true God, for He promised Jacob to be with him and God brought Jacob back to Canaan with much wealth. The Levites are instructed to use the timbrel (a tamborine-like percussion instrument), the pleasant harp (zither), and the lute (psaltery—a harp made of wood with 10 strings.
Section two (verses 3-5) call on the priests to blow the trumpets (shopher-ram’s horn) to announce the solemn feast of the new year on the first day of Tishri (Numb. 10:10). God had commanded the New Moon feasts as a remembrance of the great deeds God had done in Egypt.
In section three (verses 6 to 7) God tells Israel of His mighty acts—setting Israel free from slavery (the burden of bricks and baskets of straw). Israel had called upon God in their trouble and God delivered them first at Passover and then at the Red Sea, where God dealt with Pharaoh’s army from the cloud of His presence. God tested Israel’s faith at Meribah, and a miracle sweetened the waters at that place.
The next section (verses 8 to 10) contains God’s complaint against Israel. They did not listen to His Word. God has to admonish them so they would repent and not worship false idols or foreign gods. For God alone can fill the mouth who cries to Him in trouble and need.
God’s complaint continues in section five (verses 11 to 12). The people did not hear or repent of their idolatry. God gave them what they asked for and they were estranged from God.
Yet in the last section (verses 13 to 16), God continues to call on Israel to listen to His words and walk in His righteous ways (faith and holy living). Then He would bless them and turn against their enemies and they would endure forever in heaven. God would have fed them with the richest spiritual blessings and they would be satisfied in God.
The New Testament has even more reason to praise God because of His marvelous salvation and resurrection. This message has calmed many souls.