Psalm 81:6-8
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
6 He made it a decree for Joseph
when he came out of the land of Egypt.
II
7 [a]I heard a tongue I did not know:
“I removed his shoulder from the burden;[b]
his hands moved away from the basket.(A)
8 In distress you called and I rescued you;
I answered you in secret with thunder;
At the waters of Meribah[c] I tested you:(B)
Footnotes
- 81:7 I heard a tongue I did not know: a Temple official speaks the word of God (Ps 81:5b–16), which is authoritative and unlike merely human words (cf. Nm 24:4, 16).
- 81:7 I removed his shoulder from the burden: A reference to the liberation of Israel from slavery in Egypt. The basket: for carrying clay to make bricks, cf. Ex 1:14.
- 81:8 Meribah: place of rebellion in the wilderness; cf. Ex 17:7; Nm 20:13.
Psalm 81:8-9
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
8 In distress you called and I rescued you;
I answered you in secret with thunder;
At the waters of Meribah[a] I tested you:(A) 9 ‘Listen, my people, I will testify against you
Selah
If only you will listen to me, Israel!(B)
Psalm 81:10-11
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
10 There shall be no foreign god among you;[a](A)
you shall not bow down to an alien god.
11 ‘I am the Lord your God,
who brought you up from the land of Egypt.
Open wide your mouth that I may fill it.’
Psalm 81:14
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
14 O that my people would listen to me,
that Israel would walk in my ways,(A)
Psalm 81:17
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
17 But Israel I will feed with the finest wheat,
I will satisfy them with honey from the rock.”(A)
Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.