---
title: "Commentary on the Psalms, Volume 5"
author: "John Calvin"
translator: "James Anderson"
languages: [en]
shelf: "Commentaries"
section: 101 of 159
url: https://scriptura.si/works/john-calvin-commentary-on-the-psalms-volume-5/101/
cite: "John Calvin, tr. James Anderson, Commentary on the Psalms, Volume 5, section 101. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/john-calvin-commentary-on-the-psalms-volume-5/101/"
---

# Commentary on the Psalms, Volume 5

*John Calvin, tr. James Anderson*

Calvin on the Psalms, volume 5 of 5.

## 101. Psalm 81

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/john-calvin-commentary-on-the-psalms-volume-5/101/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/john-calvin-commentary-on-the-psalms-volume-5/101/#p-N

[¶0] To the Chief Musician upon Gittith. Of Asaph

[¶1] 1 Exult to God our strength: Shout for joy to the God of Jacob.

[¶2] 2 Take a song, and bring forth the timbrel, The harp of pleasantness with the nablum.

[¶3] 3 Sound the trumpet at the new moon; At the time appointed on the day of our sacrifice.

[¶4] 4 For a statute to Israel is this, A judgment to the God of Jacob.

[¶5] 5 For a testimony in Joseph he set it, When he went forth over the land of Egypt! A language which I understood not I heard.

[¶6] 6 “I removed from the burden his shoulder: “His hands from the pots were removed.

[¶7] 7 “In trouble thou didst cry, and I rescued thee: “I answered thee in the secret place of thunder: “I proved thee at the waters of Meribah. Selah.

[¶8] 8 “Hear, O my people! and I will protest to thee: “O Israel! if thou wilt hearken to me.

[¶9] 9 “Let there not be in thee a strange god: “Neither worship thou a foreign god.

[¶10] 10 “I am Jehovah thy God, “Who brought thee out of the land of Egypt: “Open wide thy mouth, and I will fill it.

[¶11] 11 “But my people hearkened not to my voice, “And Israel would have none of me.

[¶12] 12 “And I gave them up to the hardness of their heart: “They shall walk in their own counsels.

[¶13] 13 “O if my people had hearkened to me! “If Israel in my ways had walked!

[¶14] 14 “Soon their enemies I would have brought low, “And against their adversaries I would have turned my hand:

[¶15] 15 “The haters of Jehovah would have lied to him, “And their time should have been for ever:

[¶16] 16 “And I would have fed them with the fat of corn: “And from the rock with honey I would have satisfied thee.”