Psalms 81 · Verse 8

Psalms 81:8

Hear, O my people, and I will testify unto thee: O Israel, if thou wilt hearken unto me;
Psalms 81:8, King James Version

Psalms 81:8 in other translations

BSBHear, O My people, and I will warn you: O Israel, if only you would listen to Me!
WEB“Hear, my people, and I will testify to you, Israel, if you would listen to me!
ASVHear, O my people, and I will testify unto thee: O Israel, if thou wouldest hearken unto me!
YLTHear, O My people, and I testify to thee, O Israel, if thou dost hearken to me:
DARBYHear, my people, and I will testify unto thee; O Israel, if thou wouldest hearken unto me!
BBEGive ear, O my people, and I will give you my word, O Israel, if you will only do as I say!
WebsterHear, O my people, and I will testify to thee; O Israel, if thou wilt hearken to me;

What does Psalms 81:8 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
8. (Compare Psa 50:7). The reproof follows to Psa 81:12. if thou wilt hearken--He then propounds the terms of His covenant: they should worship Him alone, who (Psa 81:10) had delivered them, and would still confer all needed blessings.

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 8 Hear, O my people - These are nearly the same words with those spoken at the giving of the law, Exo 20:2.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Psalms 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.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Psalms 81:8 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.

שְׁמַ֣עshe.Ma'listenH8085
עַ֭מִּי'A.miO people myH5971
וְאָעִ֣ידָהve.'a.'I.dahso let me warnH5749
בָּ֑ךְBakh<in> you
יִ֝שְׂרָאֵ֗לYis.ra.'ElO IsraelH3478
אִם\־'im-ifH518
תִּֽשְׁמַֽע\־tish.ma'-you will listenH8085
לִֽי\׃Lito me

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

Cross references for Psalms 81:8

  • Psalms 50:7

    Hear, O my people, and I will speak; O Israel, and I will testify against thee: I am God, even thy God.

  • Exodus 15:26

    And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee.

  • John 3:11

    Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.

  • Isaiah 1:19

    If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:

  • Isaiah 55:3-4

    Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people.

  • 1 John 5:9

    If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son.

  • John 3:32-33

    And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth; and no man receiveth his testimony. He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true.

  • Psalms 81:13

    Oh that my people had hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my ways!

  • Acts 20:21

    Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

  • Deuteronomy 5:27

    Go thou near, and hear all that the Lord our God shall say: and speak thou unto us all that the Lord our God shall speak unto thee; and we will hear it, and do it.

  • Deuteronomy 32:46

    And he said unto them, Set your hearts unto all the words which I testify among you this day, which ye shall command your children to observe to do, all the words of this law.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Hear.
50:7; De 32:46; Isa 55:3,4; Joh 3:11,32,33; Ac 20:21; 1Jo 5:9
if thou wilt.
13; Ex 15:26; De 5:27; Isa 1:19

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

Context

  • Psalms 81:7

    Thou calledst in trouble, and I delivered thee; I answered thee in the secret place of thunder: I proved thee at the waters of Meribah. Selah.

  • Psalms 81:8

    Hear, O my people, and I will testify unto thee: O Israel, if thou wilt hearken unto me;

  • Psalms 81:9

    There shall no strange god be in thee; neither shalt thou worship any strange god.

Read all of Psalms 81

Psalms 81:8 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Oye, pueblo mío, y te protestaré. Israel, si me oyeres,
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Dans la détresse tu as crié, et je t’ai délivré; je t’ai répondu du lieu secret du tonnerre; je t’ai éprouvé auprès des eaux de Meriba. Sélah.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Höre, mein Volk, und ich will wider dich zeugen. O Israel, wenn du mir gehorchtest!
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Surge, Deus, judica terram, quoniam tu hæreditabis in omnibus gentibus.