Psalm 81:16 kjv
He should have fed them also with the finest of the wheat: and with honey out of the rock should I have satisfied thee.
Psalm 81:16 nkjv
He would have fed them also with the finest of wheat; And with honey from the rock I would have satisfied you."
Psalm 81:16 niv
But you would be fed with the finest of wheat; with honey from the rock I would satisfy you."
Psalm 81:16 esv
But he would feed you with the finest of the wheat, and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you."
Psalm 81:16 nlt
But I would feed you with the finest wheat.
I would satisfy you with wild honey from the rock."
Psalm 81 16 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Deut 32:14 | "He fed him with the finest of the wheat..." | Direct parallel, God's superior provision for Israel. |
| Ps 147:14 | "He satisfies you with the finest of the wheat." | God's provision for His people. |
| Jer 31:12 | "...they shall come and sing aloud...to the goodness of the Lord, for grain..." | God's future abundant blessings for His people. |
| Joel 2:24 | "The threshing floors shall be full of grain..." | Promise of abundant harvest and provision. |
| Amos 9:13 | "Behold, the days are coming...when the plowman shall overtake the reaper..." | Imagery of extraordinary abundance and swift blessings. |
| Deut 32:13 | "...made him suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock;" | Direct parallel to God providing miraculous sustenance from difficult places. |
| Exod 16:31 | "Now the house of Israel called its name manna. It was like coriander seed, white, and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey." | Manna, a miraculous daily provision with a sweet taste. |
| Num 20:11 | "...water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank..." | God's miraculous provision of water from the rock. |
| Deut 8:3 | "...that He might make you know that man does not live by bread alone..." | God teaches dependence on Him, providing in unconventional ways. |
| Ps 105:40-41 | "He gave them bread from heaven...He opened the rock, and water gushed out..." | Recalls God's provision in the wilderness. |
| Isa 48:21 | "...He caused water to flow from the rock for them;" | God's faithful miraculous provision for Israel in desolate conditions. |
| Ps 81:13-14 | "Oh, that my people would listen to me...I would soon subdue their enemies..." | Immediate context; blessings conditional on obedience. |
| Lev 26:3-5 | "If you walk in my statutes...I will give your rains in their season..." | Covenant blessings promised for obedience. |
| Deut 28:1-2 | "If you obey the voice of the Lord your God...all these blessings shall come upon you..." | Comprehensive list of blessings for obedience. |
| Isa 1:19 | "If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land;" | God's invitation to choose obedience for blessing. |
| Isa 48:18 | "Oh, that you had paid attention to my commandments! Then your peace would have been like a river..." | God's lament over Israel's missed blessings due to disobedience. |
| Zech 6:15 | "This will take place if you truly obey the voice of the Lord your God." | Reinforces the conditional nature of divine blessing. |
| Jn 6:35 | "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger..." | Spiritual satisfaction found in Christ, the ultimate provision. |
| Jn 4:14 | "...whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty..." | Spiritual fulfillment and eternal satisfaction from Christ. |
| Phil 4:19 | "And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches..." | God's abundant supply for His faithful followers. |
| Heb 11:6 | "...He rewards those who diligently seek Him." | Principle of God's provision for faith and seeking Him. |
| Matt 4:4 | "...man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God." | Emphasizes spiritual sustenance as paramount, God's Word as true provision. |
| Rev 2:17 | "To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna..." | Future heavenly and spiritual provision for the faithful. |
Psalm 81 verses
Psalm 81 16 Meaning
Psalm 81:16 speaks of the profound and abundant provision God desires to bestow upon His people if only they would heed His voice and walk in His ways. The "finest of the wheat" symbolizes the most choice and bountiful of life's staple provisions, indicating rich and complete nourishment. "Honey from the rock" represents miraculous and extraordinary blessings, sourced even from barren or unlikely places, signifying delights and sweetness in circumstances where it seems impossible. This verse portrays God's boundless generosity and His yearning to satisfy His people fully, materially and perhaps spiritually, demonstrating a higher quality and quantity of blessing than naturally expected.
Psalm 81 16 Context
Psalm 81 is a prophetic psalm, likely recited during one of Israel's great festivals, possibly Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles) or Rosh Hashanah, emphasizing God's past deliverance and His continuing call for obedience. The first part of the psalm (vv. 1-5) is a jubilant call to worship. The latter part (vv. 6-16) then shifts to God's voice, reminding Israel of their redemption from Egypt and their subsequent disobedience in the wilderness. God recounts how He tested them and desired their submission, lamenting their turning away to foreign gods. Verse 16 appears as a lamenting, counterfactual statement, articulating the lavish blessings God would have poured out upon them had they listened. It vividly contrasts God's desires with Israel's historical stubbornness, highlighting the profound blessings forfeited by disobedience.
Psalm 81 16 Word analysis
- But he would feed them (וַיַּאֲכִילֵהוּ מֵחֵלֶב, wa-yyaʾăḵîlēhû mêḥēlev): The imperfect tense here indicates a hypothetical, unfulfilled action, literally "He would have caused them to eat." It points to God's desire and intent to provide, contingent upon their responsiveness. The direct shift from "them" to "you" later (v. 16b) signifies God's personal address and concern for each individual within the collective.
- with the finest (מֵחֵלֶב, mēḥēlev): Literally "from the fat." In Hebrew thought, "fat" (חֵלֶב chelev) symbolizes the best, richest, and choicest part, reserved for God in sacrifices (e.g., Lev 3:16). Here, it signifies a super-abundance and highest quality of provision.
- of the wheat (חִטָּה, ḥiṭṭāh): Wheat was the staple food and a primary measure of agricultural prosperity. "Finest of the wheat" therefore means the best, most nutritious, and ample grain, ensuring complete sustenance.
- and with honey (וּמִדְּבַשׁ, ûmiddᵊvaš): Honey (דְּבַשׁ dᵊḇash) was a highly prized food, representing sweetness, delight, and a sign of prosperity in a land flowing with "milk and honey." It indicates luxury and unexpected joy beyond mere sustenance.
- from the rock (מִצּוּר, mittsūr): The "rock" (צוּר tsūr) in a natural setting is usually barren and yielding nothing. Its mention points to supernatural, miraculous provision, as God brought forth water from the rock (Exod 17:6, Num 20:11) in the wilderness. This suggests that God's blessing is not limited by natural constraints but can emerge from the most unlikely or difficult circumstances. It stands in direct contrast to what is naturally expected, emphasizing God's sovereign power to provide from unexpected sources.
- I would satisfy you (אַשְׂבִּיעֶךָּ, ʾasbîʿekāh): "Satisfy" (שָׂבַע śāḇaʿ) means to fill to overflowing, to provide more than enough. It implies contentment, well-being, and an end to hunger or lack. The direct address ("I" and "you") underlines God's personal and abundant care.
Psalm 81 16 Bonus section
The strong imagery in Psalm 81:16 serves as a polemic against the false gods worshipped by Israel during the wilderness period and in subsequent history. These pagan deities, often associated with agricultural fertility or specific places, were believed to be the source of prosperity. By stating "finest of wheat" and "honey from the rock," God powerfully asserts Himself as the sole and supreme provider, able to bring forth abundance even from barren rocks, thereby demonstrating His incomparable power over both natural fertility and the supernatural. No idol could provide such specific, quality, and miraculously sourced sustenance. This highlights that their rejection of YHWH was not only spiritual rebellion but also a profound misplacement of trust regarding their very sustenance. The shift from third person ("he would feed them") to first person ("I would satisfy you") underscores God's deep, personal yearning for Israel's fellowship and underscores His intimate desire to bless each individual.
Psalm 81 16 Commentary
Psalm 81:16 beautifully articulates God's lavish intentions for His people, revealing His character as a generous and self-sufficient Provider. The imagery of "finest of the wheat" signifies an abundance of the best physical provision, going beyond mere necessity to full flourishing and well-being. "Honey from the rock" pushes this even further, highlighting miraculous provision that transcends natural limitations and springs forth from seemingly impossible or barren circumstances. This is not merely sufficiency but delight, a sweetness provided in the harshest environments, reminding the listener of God's supernatural power. The verse is poignantly conditional; it describes what God would have done had Israel chosen obedience, serving as a lament over lost blessings and a powerful invitation for future generations to choose God's way. It ultimately teaches that true satisfaction and blessing come from heeding the Lord's voice, and that God's desire for His people's flourishing far exceeds their capacity to imagine.