would feign obedience
Feigning obedience implies a superficial or insincere compliance with God's commands. This can be seen in the history of Israel, where certain kings or people outwardly followed religious practices but their hearts were far from God, as noted in Isaiah 29:13. This hypocrisy is condemned throughout Scripture, as God desires genuine devotion and obedience from the heart. The concept is also echoed in the New Testament, where Jesus criticizes the Pharisees for their outward religiosity but inward corruption (Matthew 23:27-28).

and their doom would last forever
The phrase indicates a perpetual consequence for those who oppose God. Biblically, this aligns with the concept of divine judgment and eternal separation from God, as seen in passages like Matthew 25:46, where eternal punishment is contrasted with eternal life. The idea of lasting doom underscores the seriousness of rejecting God and His covenant. It serves as a warning of the ultimate fate awaiting those who persist in rebellion, emphasizing the eternal nature of God's justice.

The psalmist is describing people who choose hostility toward God—an attitude Scripture never treats lightly. Psalm 81 has already lamented, “My people did not listen to My voice; Israel would not obey Me” (Psalm 81:11). Hatred of the LORD is more than emotion; it is a settled refusal to submit to His authority.

• Exodus 20:5 calls such rebels “those who hate Me,” placing them under generational consequences.

• Jesus sharpens the point: “Whoever hates Me hates My Father as well” (John 15:23).

• Romans 8:7 explains the root: “The mind of the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law.”

By identifying haters of God, the verse warns believers to guard their own hearts against drifting into that posture of resistance.

Even God-haters can pretend compliance when His power is unmistakable. “Through the greatness of Your power Your enemies will cower before You” (Psalm 66:3). The psalmist pictures forced, superficial submission that never reaches the heart.

Key marks of feigned obedience:

• External show: “This people honors Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me” (Matthew 15:8).

• Hollow religion: “Having a form of godliness but denying its power” (2 Timothy 3:5).

• Momentary compliance: Pharaoh said, “I have sinned” during the plagues (Exodus 9:27), yet quickly reneged once pressure lifted.

God sees past the veneer. Luke 6:46 challenges, “Why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” Genuine faith produces lasting obedience; pretend reverence cannot fool the One who searches hearts.

The verse concludes with the sobering reality of everlasting judgment. Temporary pretense cannot avert eternal consequences.

• “Whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him” (John 3:36).

• Paul writes of “everlasting destruction, shut out from the presence of the Lord” (2 Thessalonians 1:9).

• Revelation 14:11 paints the finality: “The smoke of their torment rises forever and ever.”

Because God is eternal, rejection of Him results in an eternal penalty. The phrase “their doom would last forever” underscores the unending nature of divine justice. For believers, this heightens gratitude for the cross, where Christ absorbed the wrath we deserved and secured eternal life (John 3:16-17).

Psalm 81:15 unveils a threefold warning: hatred of God is real, it can disguise itself in counterfeit obedience, and it ends in everlasting ruin. The verse urges us to love the LORD sincerely, obey Him from the heart, and rest in the salvation He provides through Jesus Christ.

Him--i.e., Israel; Jehovah's enemies being also Israel's enemies.

Their time--i.e., Israel's. One of the sudden changes of number so frequent in Hebrew poetry. As a nation Israel would continue to live and prosper.