◄ Psalm 81:13 ►
If only My people would listen to Me, if Israel would follow My ways,
Study Bible
If only
The phrase "If only" conveys a deep yearning and lament from God, expressing His desire for His people to heed His voice. In Hebrew, this is often expressed with a longing that suggests a missed opportunity or a conditional hope. It reflects God's heart, full of compassion and patience, longing for a relationship with His people. This phrase sets the tone for the verse, emphasizing the importance of listening to God as a foundational aspect of faith.

My people
"My people" refers to the Israelites, God's chosen nation, with whom He established a covenant. This term is deeply rooted in the Hebrew word "עַמִּי" (ammi), which signifies a personal and possessive relationship. It underscores the special bond and responsibility that comes with being God's people. Historically, Israel was set apart to be a light to the nations, and this phrase reminds them of their identity and calling.

would listen
The act of listening in Hebrew, "שָׁמַע" (shama), goes beyond mere auditory reception; it implies obedience and action. In the biblical context, to listen to God means to heed His commandments and align one's life with His will. This call to listen is a recurring theme throughout Scripture, highlighting the importance of being attentive to God's voice amidst the noise of the world.

to Me
"To Me" emphasizes the personal nature of the relationship between God and His people. It is not just about following rules but about engaging in a personal relationship with the Creator. This phrase invites believers to direct their attention and devotion solely to God, recognizing Him as the ultimate authority and source of life.

if Israel
"Israel" refers to the descendants of Jacob, who was renamed Israel after wrestling with God. This name carries the connotation of struggle and perseverance in faith. Historically, Israel's journey is marked by cycles of faithfulness and rebellion, and this verse calls them back to their foundational identity as God's covenant people.

would follow
The phrase "would follow" suggests a path or way of life that is in alignment with God's commandments. In Hebrew, the concept of following is often linked to walking, "הָלַךְ" (halak), which implies a continuous, active journey. It is a call to live out one's faith in daily actions, consistently choosing God's path over worldly ways.

My ways
"My ways" refers to the divine laws and principles that God has set forth for His people. These ways are not arbitrary but are designed for the well-being and flourishing of His people. In the broader biblical narrative, God's ways are often contrasted with human ways, highlighting the wisdom and righteousness inherent in following God's path. This phrase invites believers to trust in God's perfect plan and to seek His guidance in all aspects of life.

Persons / Places / Events
1. God
The speaker in this verse, expressing a desire for His people to listen and follow His ways.

2. Israel
The chosen people of God, representing the nation that God is addressing in this Psalm.

3. Asaph
The author of Psalm 81, a Levite and one of David's chief musicians, who composed this psalm as a call to worship and obedience.

4. Egypt
The place from which God delivered the Israelites, referenced earlier in the Psalm as a reminder of God's past faithfulness.

5. Feast of Trumpets
The event during which this Psalm was likely sung, a time of gathering and reflection for the Israelites.
Teaching Points
The Heart of God
God deeply desires a relationship with His people, characterized by listening and obedience. This reflects His love and care for us.

The Importance of Listening
Listening to God is not just hearing His words but involves active obedience and following His ways.

Consequences of Disobedience
Ignoring God's voice leads to missed blessings and unnecessary hardships, as seen in Israel's history.

Call to Repentance
This verse serves as a call to return to God, to listen and align our lives with His will.

Blessings of Obedience
Following God's ways leads to peace, protection, and provision, as promised throughout Scripture.
Bible Study Questions
1. What does it mean to truly "listen" to God, and how can we cultivate a heart that is attentive to His voice?

2. Reflect on a time when you experienced the consequences of not following God's ways. What did you learn from that experience?

3. How can we ensure that our daily lives reflect obedience to God's commands, especially in a world with many distractions?

4. In what ways does the New Testament reinforce the message of Psalm 81:13 about listening and following God?

5. How can we encourage others in our community to listen to and follow God's ways, and what role does accountability play in this process?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Deuteronomy 5:29
This verse echoes God's longing for His people to have a heart that fears Him and keeps His commandments, similar to the desire expressed in Psalm 81:13.

Isaiah 48:18
This passage reflects on the blessings that would have come if Israel had listened to God's commands, paralleling the sentiment in Psalm 81:13.

Matthew 23:37
Jesus laments over Jerusalem, expressing a similar desire for His people to come to Him and follow His ways.

John 10:27
Jesus speaks of His sheep hearing His voice and following Him, illustrating the relationship God desires with His people.

Hebrews 3:7-8
This passage warns believers not to harden their hearts as Israel did, emphasizing the importance of listening to God's voice.
Sermons
The Sorrow of GodR. Tuck Psalm 81:13
A Revelation of Three Great SubjectsHomilistPsalm 81:1-16
Exhortation to Sing God's PraisePsalm 81:1-16
Jehovah's Complaint Against the Condition and Conduct of His PeopleJ. E. Giles.Psalm 81:13-14
Man's InconsiderationC. Short Psalm 81:13, 14
What Might have BeenS. Conway Psalm 81:13-16
People
Asaph, Jacob, Joseph, Psalmist
Places
Jerusalem
Topics
Ear, Follow, Hearken, Hearkened, Hearkening, Listen, O, Oh, Walk, Walked, Walking
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Psalm 81:11-13

     6231   rejection of God

Psalm 81:13-16

     4404   food
     4542   wheat
     5939   satisfaction

Library
Chapter I Beginning and Early Days of the Orphan Work.
BEGINNING AND EARLY DAYS OF THE ORPHAN WORK. "That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ."--1 Peter, i. 7. Mr. George Mueller, the founder of the New Orphan-Houses, Ashley Down, Bristol (institutions that have been for many years the greatest monuments of modern times to a prayer-answering God), gives in that most valuable and instructive book, "A …
George Müller—Answers to Prayer

Ask what I Shall Give Thee. 1Ki 3:05
 …
John Newton—Olney Hymns

How Christ is the Way in General, "I am the Way. "
We come now to speak more particularly to the words; and, first, Of his being a way. Our design being to point at the way of use-making of Christ in all our necessities, straits, and difficulties which are in our way to heaven; and particularly to point out the way how believers should make use of Christ in all their particular exigencies; and so live by faith in him, walk in him, grow up in him, advance and march forward toward glory in him. It will not be amiss to speak of this fulness of Christ …
John Brown (of Wamphray)—Christ The Way, The Truth, and The Life

Religion Pleasant to the Religious.
"O taste and see how gracious the Lord is; blessed is the man that trusteth in Him."--Psalm xxxiv. 8. You see by these words what love Almighty God has towards us, and what claims He has upon our love. He is the Most High, and All-Holy. He inhabiteth eternity: we are but worms compared with Him. He would not be less happy though He had never created us; He would not be less happy though we were all blotted out again from creation. But He is the God of love; He brought us all into existence, …
John Henry Newman—Parochial and Plain Sermons, Vol. VII

The Heart's Desire Given to Help Mission Work in China.
"Sept. 30 [1869].--From Yorkshire L50.--Received also One Thousand Pounds to-day for the Lord's work in China. About this donation it is especially to be noticed, that for months it had been my earnest desire to do more than ever for Mission Work in China, and I had already taken steps to carry out this desire, when this donation of One Thousand Pounds came to hand. This precious answer to prayer for means should be a particular encouragement to all who are engaged in the Lord's work, and who may …
George Müller—Answers to Prayer

The Fifth Day in Passion-Week - Make Ready the Passover!'
When the traitor returned from Jerusalem on the Wednesday afternoon, the Passover, in the popular and canonical, though not in the Biblical sense, was close at hand. It began on the 14th Nisan, that is, from the appearance of the first three stars on Wednesday evening [the evening of what had been the 13th], and ended with the first three stars on Thursday evening [the evening of what had been the 14th day of Nisan]. As this is an exceedingly important point, it is well here to quote the precise …
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

Spiritual Hunger Shall be Satisfied
They shall be filled. Matthew 5:6 I proceed now to the second part of the text. A promise annexed. They shall be filled'. A Christian fighting with sin is not like one that beats the air' (1 Corinthians 9:26), and his hungering after righteousness is not like one that sucks in only air, Blessed are they that hunger, for they shall be filled.' Those that hunger after righteousness shall be filled. God never bids us seek him in vain' (Isaiah 45:19). Here is an honeycomb dropping into the mouths of …
Thomas Watson—The Beatitudes: An Exposition of Matthew 5:1-12

The Second Coming of Christ.
^A Matt. XXIV. 29-51; ^B Mark XIII. 24-37; ^C Luke XXI. 25-36. ^b 24 But in those days, ^a immediately after the { ^b that} ^a tribulation of those days. [Since the coming of Christ did not follow close upon the destruction of Jerusalem, the word "immediately" used by Matthew is somewhat puzzling. There are, however, three ways in which it may be explained: 1. That Jesus reckons the time after his own divine, and not after our human, fashion. Viewing the word in this light, the passage at II. Pet. …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Covenanting Adapted to the Moral Constitution of Man.
The law of God originates in his nature, but the attributes of his creatures are due to his sovereignty. The former is, accordingly, to be viewed as necessarily obligatory on the moral subjects of his government, and the latter--which are all consistent with the holiness of the Divine nature, are to be considered as called into exercise according to his appointment. Hence, also, the law of God is independent of his creatures, though made known on their account; but the operation of their attributes …
John Cunningham—The Ordinance of Covenanting

Man's Inability to Keep the Moral Law
Is any man able perfectly to keep the commandments of God? No mere man, since the fall, is able in this life perfectly to keep the commandments of God, but does daily break them, in thought, word, and deed. In many things we offend all.' James 3: 2. Man in his primitive state of innocence, was endowed with ability to keep the whole moral law. He had rectitude of mind, sanctity of will, and perfection of power. He had the copy of God's law written on his heart; no sooner did God command but he obeyed. …
Thomas Watson—The Ten Commandments

How Does it Come?
How does the Filling of the Spirit come? "Does it come once for all? or is it always coming, as it were?" was a question addressed to me once by a young candidate for the Baptism of the Holy Ghost. There are many asking the same question. We have considered how the Fullness is obtained, but now we proceed to consider, How does the Fullness come? In speaking of the blessing of being filled with the Spirit, the New Testament writers use three tenses in the Greek--the Aorist, the Imperfect, and the …
John MacNeil—The Spirit-Filled Life

The Nature of Spiritual Hunger
Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness Matthew 5:6 We are now come to the fourth step of blessedness: Blessed are they that hunger'. The words fall into two parts: a duty implied; a promise annexed. A duty implied: Blessed are they that hunger'. Spiritual hunger is a blessed hunger. What is meant by hunger? Hunger is put for desire (Isaiah 26:9). Spiritual hunger is the rational appetite whereby the soul pants after that which it apprehends most suitable and proportional …
Thomas Watson—The Beatitudes: An Exposition of Matthew 5:1-12

Justifying or Sanctifying Grace
Sanctifying grace is defined by Deharbe as "an unmerited, supernatural gift, imparted to the soul by the Holy Ghost, by which we are made just, children of God, and heirs of Heaven." As it makes sinners just, sanctifying grace is also called justifying, though this appellation can not be applied to the sanctification of our first parents in Paradise or to that of the angels and the sinless soul of Christ. Justification, as we have shown, consists in the infusion of sanctifying grace, and hence it …
Joseph Pohle—Grace, Actual and Habitual

Psalms
The piety of the Old Testament Church is reflected with more clearness and variety in the Psalter than in any other book of the Old Testament. It constitutes the response of the Church to the divine demands of prophecy, and, in a less degree, of law; or, rather, it expresses those emotions and aspirations of the universal heart which lie deeper than any formal demand. It is the speech of the soul face to face with God. Its words are as simple and unaffected as human words can be, for it is the genius …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

Links
Psalm 81:13 NIV
Psalm 81:13 NLT
Psalm 81:13 ESV
Psalm 81:13 NASB
Psalm 81:13 KJV

Psalm 81:13 Commentaries

Bible Hub
Psalm 81:12
Top of Page
Top of Page