◄ Psalm 81:8 ►
Hear, O My people, and I will warn you: O Israel, if only you would listen to Me!
Study Bible
Hear, O My people
This phrase is a divine summons, a call to attention from God to His chosen people, Israel. The Hebrew word for "hear" is "שְׁמַע" (shema), which implies not just listening but also obeying. It is the same word used in the famous "Shema" of Deuteronomy 6:4, "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one." This call to hear is a reminder of the covenant relationship between God and Israel, where hearing is synonymous with obedience and faithfulness. It is a call to remember who they are as God's people and to respond accordingly.

and I will admonish you
The word "admonish" comes from the Hebrew "עוּד" (ud), which means to bear witness, to testify, or to warn. This is not merely a reprimand but a loving guidance from God, who desires His people to walk in His ways. It reflects God's role as a Father who disciplines those He loves (Hebrews 12:6). The admonition is a call to return to the path of righteousness and to heed the wisdom and instruction of the Lord.

O Israel
This phrase identifies the audience specifically as the nation of Israel, God's chosen people. Historically, Israel is the name given to Jacob after wrestling with God (Genesis 32:28), and it represents the twelve tribes descended from his sons. The use of "Israel" here is a reminder of their identity and heritage as a people set apart for God's purposes. It is a call to remember their unique relationship with God and the responsibilities that come with it.

if you would but listen to Me!
The plea "if you would but listen" underscores the conditional nature of the blessings and protection that God offers. The Hebrew word for "listen" is again "שְׁמַע" (shema), reinforcing the importance of not just hearing but actively obeying God's voice. This phrase reflects God's deep desire for His people to choose obedience and the life that comes with it. It is an invitation to trust in God's wisdom and to align their lives with His will, promising that such alignment will lead to their flourishing and peace.

Persons / Places / Events
1. God
The speaker in this verse, calling His people to listen and heed His warnings.

2. Israel
The chosen people of God, addressed directly in this verse, representing the community of believers.

3. Psalmist
Traditionally attributed to Asaph, who conveys God's message to the people.

4. Warnings
The admonitions and guidance God provides to His people for their well-being.

5. Listening
The act of heeding God's voice, which is central to the relationship between God and His people.
Teaching Points
The Importance of Listening to God
Listening to God is foundational to a faithful relationship with Him. It requires intentionality and openness to His guidance.

The Consequences of Ignoring God's Warnings
Ignoring God's warnings can lead to spiritual and physical consequences. Reflect on past experiences where ignoring divine guidance led to challenges.

The Role of Obedience in Faith
True listening involves obedience. Faith is demonstrated through actions that align with God's will.

God's Desire for a Relationship with His People
God calls His people to listen because He desires a close, personal relationship with them. This relationship is nurtured through communication and obedience.

The Call to Repentance and Renewal
Listening to God often involves repentance and a commitment to change. Embrace opportunities for spiritual renewal by heeding His voice.
Bible Study Questions
1. What are some practical ways you can improve your ability to listen to God's voice in your daily life?

2. Reflect on a time when you ignored a warning from God. What were the consequences, and what did you learn from that experience?

3. How does the concept of listening to God in Psalm 81:8 relate to the Shema in Deuteronomy 6:4-5?

4. In what ways can you ensure that you are not just a hearer of the word, but a doer, as encouraged in James 1:22?

5. How can you cultivate a heart that is receptive to God's voice, avoiding the hardening of heart warned against in Hebrews 3:7-8?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Deuteronomy 6:4-5
The Shema, which emphasizes the importance of listening to God and loving Him with all one's heart, soul, and strength.

Isaiah 55:3
An invitation to listen to God so that one's soul may live, highlighting the life-giving nature of heeding God's word.

James 1:22
Encourages believers to be doers of the word, not just hearers, reinforcing the importance of active listening and obedience.

Hebrews 3:7-8
A warning against hardening one's heart, urging believers to listen to God's voice today.

John 10:27
Jesus describes His followers as sheep who listen to His voice, illustrating the relationship between the Shepherd and His flock.
Sermons
New-Year ResolutionsJ. W. Hardman, LL. D.Psalm 81:8
The New MoonD. Davies.Psalm 81:8
A Revelation of Three Great SubjectsHomilistPsalm 81:1-16
Exhortation to Sing God's PraisePsalm 81:1-16
People
Asaph, Jacob, Joseph, Psalmist
Places
Jerusalem
Topics
Admonish, Ear, Hearken, Listen, O, Testify, Warn, Wilt, Wouldest
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Psalm 81:8

     5148   ear
     5165   listening

Psalm 81:8-10

     4824   famine, spiritual

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

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