Psalms 81 · Verse 1

Psalms 81:1

To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm of Asaph. Sing aloud unto God our strength: make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob.
Psalms 81:1, King James Version

Psalms 81:1 in other translations

BSBFor the choirmaster. According to Gittith. Of Asaph. Sing for joy to God our strength; make a joyful noise to the God of Jacob.
WEBFor the Chief Musician. On an instrument of Gath. By Asaph. Sing aloud to God, our strength! Make a joyful shout to the God of Jacob!
ASVFor the Chief Musician; set to the Gittith. A Psalm of Asaph. Sing aloud unto God our strength: Make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob.
YLTTo the Overseer. --‘On the Gittith.' By Asaph. Cry aloud to God our strength, Shout to the God of Jacob.
DARBYTo the chief Musician. Upon the Gittith. A Psalm of Asaph. Sing ye joyously unto God our strength, shout aloud unto the God of Jacob;
BBEMake a song to God our strength: make a glad cry to the God of Jacob.
WebsterTo the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm of Asaph. Sing aloud to God our strength: make a joyful noise to the God of Jacob.

What does Psalms 81:1 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

Psa 81:1-16. Gittith--(See on Psa 8:1, title). A festal Psalm, probably for the passover (compare Mt 26:30), in which, after an exhortation to praise God, He is introduced, reminding Israel of their obligations, chiding their neglect, and depicting the happy results of obedience.

1. our strength--(Psa 38:7).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Introduction

An exhortation to the people to praise God for his benefits, Psa 81:1-7; and to attend to what he had prescribed, Psa 81:8-10; their disobedience lamented, Psa 81:11; the miseries brought on themselves by their transgressions, Psa 81:12-16. The title is the same as to Psa 8:1-9 (note), which see. There are various opinions concerning the occasion and time of this Psalm: but it is pretty generally agreed that it was either written for or used at the celebration of the Feast of Trumpets, (see on Lev 23:24 (note)), which was held on the first day of the month Tisrl, which was the beginning of the Jewish year; and on that day it is still used in the Jewish worship. According to Jewish tradition, credited by many learned Christians, the world was created in Tisri, which answers to our September. The Psalm may have been used in celebrating the Feast of Trumpets on the first day of Tisri, the Feast of Tabernacles on the fifteenth of the same month, the creation of the world, the Feasts of the New Moons, and the deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt; to all which circumstances it appears to refer. Verse 1 Sing aloud unto God our strength - There is much meaning here: as God is our strength, let that strength be devoted to his service; therefore, sing aloud! This is principally addressed to the priests and Levites.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Psalms 81:1-7
All the worship we can render to the Lord is beneath his excellences, and our obligations to him, especially in our redemption from sin and wrath. What God had done on Israel's behalf, was kept in remembrance by public solemnities. To make a deliverance appear more gracious, more glorious, it is good to observe all that makes the trouble we are delivered from appear more grievous. We ought never to forget the base and ruinous drudgery to which Satan, our oppressor, brought us. But when, in distress of conscience, we are led to cry for deliverance, the Lord answers our prayers, and sets us at liberty. Convictions of sin, and trials by affliction, prove his regard to his people. If the Jews, on their solemn feast-days, were thus to call to mind their redemption out of Egypt, much more ought we, on the Christian sabbath, to call to mind a more glorious redemption, wrought out for us by our Lord Jesus Christ, from worse bondage.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Psalms 81:1 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

הַ֭רְנִינוּHar.ni.nusing for joyH7442
לֵאלֹהִ֣יםle.lo.Himto GodH430
עוּזֵּ֑נוּ'u.Ze.nustrength ourH5797
הָ֝רִ֗יעוּha.Ri.'ushout for joyH7321
לֵאלֹהֵ֥יle.lo.Heito [the] God ofH430
יַעֲקֹֽב\׃ya.'a.KoJacobH3290

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Psalms 81:1

  • Jeremiah 31:7

    For thus saith the Lord; Sing with gladness for Jacob, and shout among the chief of the nations: publish ye, praise ye, and say, O Lord, save thy people, the remnant of Israel.

  • Psalms 66:1

    To the chief Musician, A Song or Psalm. Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands:

  • Psalms 100:1-2

    A Psalm of praise. Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing.

  • Philippians 4:13

    I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

  • Psalms 8:1

    To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm of David. O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens.

  • Psalms 46:11

    The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.

  • Psalms 28:7

    The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.

  • Psalms 46:1-7

    To the chief Musician for the sons of Korah, A Song upon Alamoth. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah. There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High. …

  • Genesis 50:17

    So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin; for they did unto thee evil: and now, we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father. And Joseph wept when they spake unto him.

  • Psalms 33:1-3

    Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright. Praise the Lord with harp: sing unto him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings. Sing unto him a new song; play skilfully with a loud noise.

  • Psalms 67:4

    O let the nations be glad and sing for joy: for thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth. Selah.

  • Psalms 18:1-2

    To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, the servant of the Lord, who spake unto the Lord the words of this song in the day that the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul: And he said, I will love thee, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1 An exhortation to a solemn praising of God.
4 God challenges that duty by reason of his benefits.
8 God, exhorting to obedience, complains of their disobedience, which proves their own hurt.

A.M. 3489. B.C. 515. (Title.) Gittith.
8:1; *title
A Psalm.Some suppose this Psalm to have been composed to be sung at the feast of Trumpets, before the time of David; and others think it was written at the removal of the ark to Mount Zion; but the most probable opinion is, that it was sung at the dedication of the second temple.
of Asaph. or, for Asaph.
Sing.
67:4; Jer 31:7
our strength.
18:1,2; 28:7; 52:7; Php 4:13
make.
33:1-3; 46:1-7; 66:1; 100:1,2
the God.
46:11; Ge 50:17; Mt 22:32

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Psalms 81:1

    To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm of Asaph. Sing aloud unto God our strength: make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob.

  • Psalms 81:2

    Take a psalm, and bring hither the timbrel, the pleasant harp with the psaltery.

Read all of Psalms 81

Psalms 81:1 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Al Músico principal: sobre Gittith: Salmo de Asaph. CANTAD á Dios, fortaleza nuestra: al Dios de Jacob celebrad con júbilo.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Au chef de musique. Sur Guitthith. D’Asaph.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Jubelt Gott, unserer Stärke! jauchzet dem Gott Jakobs!
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Psalmus Asaph. Deus stetit in synagoga deorum; in medio autem deos dijudicat.