Psalm 81:4 kjv
For this was a statute for Israel, and a law of the God of Jacob.
Psalm 81:4 nkjv
For this is a statute for Israel, A law of the God of Jacob.
Psalm 81:4 niv
this is a decree for Israel, an ordinance of the God of Jacob.
Psalm 81:4 esv
For it is a statute for Israel, a rule of the God of Jacob.
Psalm 81:4 nlt
For this is required by the decrees of Israel;
it is a regulation of the God of Jacob.
Psalm 81 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Deut 4:5-6 | "See, I have taught you statutes and rules... keep them..." | God's laws given uniquely to Israel. |
| Exod 12:14 | "This day shall be to you a memorial... keep it as a statute forever." | Passover as an eternal statute. |
| Lev 23:21 | "It shall be a statute forever... in all your dwelling places..." | Perpetual nature of certain feast laws. |
| Num 10:10 | "Also in the day of your gladness... you shall blow the trumpets..." | Trumpets signaling joy, especially at appointed times. |
| Deut 16:16 | "Three times a year all your males shall appear before the Lord..." | Mandatory attendance at the major feasts. |
| Ps 81:1-3 | "Sing aloud... Blow the trumpet at the new moon... on our feast day." | Immediate context of commanded joyful worship. |
| Exod 3:6 | "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." | God's self-identification, foundational covenant. |
| Ps 46:7, 11 | "The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress." | God's faithfulness and protection to His people. |
| Isa 2:3 | "...let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob..." | Universal recognition of God's authority, emanating from Israel. |
| Deut 6:1-2 | "Now this is the commandment, the statutes, and the rules... fear the Lord..." | God's commandments as basis for national life. |
| Ps 119:14 | "In the way of your testimonies I delight as much as in all riches." | Delight in God's decrees. |
| Ps 119:93 | "I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have given me life." | God's precepts as life-giving. |
| Neh 8:17 | "And all the assembly... made booths and lived in the booths... there was very great rejoicing." | Restoration of feast observance. |
| Deut 26:17-18 | "You have declared today that the LORD is your God... and the LORD has declared today that you are His treasured people..." | Reciprocal covenant declaration between God and Israel. |
| Rom 3:1-2 | "What advantage has the Jew?... The oracles of God were committed to them." | God entrusted His word and laws to Israel. |
| Rom 9:4-5 | "They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law..." | Paul enumerates Israel's unique divine privileges. |
| Matt 5:17 | "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them." | Christ's relationship to the Law. |
| Col 2:16-17 | "Therefore let no one pass judgment on you... regarding a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come..." | Ceremonial laws fulfilled in Christ. |
| Eph 2:14-15 | "...he is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments..." | Unity in Christ superseding old ritual divisions. |
| Heb 10:1 | "For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form..." | Law as a shadow pointing to greater realities in Christ. |
| 1 Cor 5:7-8 | "Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Let us therefore celebrate the festival..." | Spiritual application of festival concepts for believers. |
Psalm 81 verses
Psalm 81 4 Meaning
Psalm 81:4 declares that the celebration and worship, particularly a specified festival, is a divine decree established by God for the people of Israel. This verse asserts the binding, unchanging, and uniquely Israelite nature of the command to gather and rejoice before the Lord, signifying it as a foundational aspect of their covenant relationship with the God who revealed Himself to Jacob. It underscores that such worship is not optional but a God-ordained obligation, woven into the fabric of Israel's national and religious identity.
Psalm 81 4 Context
Psalm 81 is a psalm of admonition and exhortation, likely intended for public worship, specifically associated with an Israelite festival. The preceding verses (81:1-3) issue a passionate call for the Israelites to express their joy through music, singing, and blowing the shofar (trumpet), specifying a "new moon" and a "feast day." This celebration is strongly implied to be one of the autumn festivals, either Rosh Hashanah (Feast of Trumpets) or Sukkot (Feast of Booths). Verse 4 then provides the theological and legal grounding for this joyful observance: it is not merely a custom, but a divinely established decree. Following this, the psalm transitions to an oracle from God, reminding Israel of His deliverance from Egypt and His commands, lamenting their disobedience, and urging them back to obedience for blessing. Thus, verse 4 serves as a pivot, connecting the outward acts of worship to their authoritative divine origin within the framework of God's covenant with Israel.
Psalm 81 4 Word analysis
- For (כִּ֤י, kî): A causal conjunction, meaning "because," "for," or "indeed." It introduces the reason or justification for the festive commands mentioned in the preceding verses, establishing them as non-negotiable and divinely ordained.
- this (הוּא, hūʾ): Refers back to the command or custom of festival observance (implied from verses 1-3). It is a pronoun that concretizes and emphasizes the decree itself.
- is a statute (חֹ֣ק, ḥōq): Denotes a fixed ordinance, an appointed law, an immutable decree. It often refers to divine legislation, carved out and binding, implying something etched in stone or firmly established. It conveys permanency and authority. This term is used widely for the ceremonial laws and moral standards given by God.
- for Israel (לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל, lᵊyiśrāʾēl): Specifies the recipients of this statute. It emphasizes the unique covenant relationship between God and His chosen people, marking this command as particular to their national identity and religious practice. It distinguishes Israel's worship from that of other nations.
- an ordinance (מִשְׁפָּ֬ט, mišpāṭ): Literally "judgment," but in this context means a custom, regulation, or legal ruling. Paired with ḥōq, it underscores the judicial, righteous, and proper nature of the command, reinforcing its legal and ethical weight as part of God's righteous rule. It denotes what is right and just in God's eyes.
- of the God (לֵאלֹהֵ֖י, lēʾlōhê): Indicates the ultimate source and authority of the statute and ordinance. It asserts that these commands originate directly from God Himself, granting them absolute validity and obligation.
- of Jacob (יַעֲקֹֽב, yaʿăqōḇ): This specific divine title ("God of Jacob") reinforces the historical and covenantal foundation. It ties the present decree back to God's faithful promises and actions with the patriarch Jacob, through whom the nation of Israel originated. It grounds the contemporary worship command in the ancient, unchangeable character of Israel's covenant God.
Word-groups analysis:
- כִּ֤י חֹ֣ק לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל ה֑וּא (kî ḥōq lᵊyiśrāʾēl hūʾ) - "For this is a statute for Israel": This phrase asserts the divinely ordained, fixed nature of the festival as a specific obligation for the nation of Israel, directly connecting their worship to God's decree and their national identity.
- מִשְׁפָּ֬ט לֵאלֹהֵ֖י יַעֲקֹֽב (mišpāṭ lēʾlōhê yaʿăqōḇ) - "an ordinance of the God of Jacob": This parallel phrase reiterates the legal and just basis of the command, stemming from the righteous will of Israel's covenant God. By using "God of Jacob," it invokes the historical fidelity and foundational relationship that defines Israel's unique standing before God. The parallelism (statute // ordinance; for Israel // of the God of Jacob) enhances the emphasis on the divine origin and specific application of these laws.
Psalm 81 4 Bonus section
The specific choice of "God of Jacob" in this liturgical context not only serves as a historical link but also likely implies a deeper message: just as Jacob (later Israel) wrestled with God and endured challenges, so too are the covenant responsibilities an intrinsic part of the journey for all his descendants. The act of sounding the trumpet mentioned in the preceding verses, governed by this "statute," symbolized both a call to worship and a memorial of God's deliverance (Exod 19:16, 20:18; Zech 9:14), emphasizing both the joyous obligation and the sober remembrance of divine acts. The double term "statute" and "ordinance" highlights the comprehensive nature of God's law, encompassing both fixed ritual requirements and the just principles guiding life within the covenant community.
Psalm 81 4 Commentary
Psalm 81:4 concisely articulates the theological imperative behind Israel's worship and festive observances. It moves beyond mere suggestion, framing these acts as intrinsic and immutable laws from God. The pairing of "statute" (ḥōq) and "ordinance" (mišpāṭ) emphasizes that these commands are both firmly established and morally righteous, binding Israel within their covenant. The designation "for Israel" clearly defines the recipient of this unique instruction, underscoring their chosen status and peculiar relationship with the Divine. Furthermore, calling God the "God of Jacob" anchors these current requirements in the long history of God's faithfulness and specific revelation to their patriarch, reinforcing the ancient and unbreakable bond. Therefore, the commanded celebration is not arbitrary but deeply rooted in God's nature and His unique dealings with His people, reminding them that their joy and obedience in worship are non-negotiable responses to their covenant LORD.For practical usage, this verse reminds believers that true worship is not merely optional but an essential and commanded aspect of our relationship with God, flowing from His established character and our position in His new covenant in Christ.