Psalm 81 6

Psalm 81:6 kjv

I removed his shoulder from the burden: his hands were delivered from the pots.

Psalm 81:6 nkjv

"I removed his shoulder from the burden; His hands were freed from the baskets.

Psalm 81:6 niv

"I removed the burden from their shoulders; their hands were set free from the basket.

Psalm 81:6 esv

"I relieved your shoulder of the burden; your hands were freed from the basket.

Psalm 81:6 nlt

"Now I will take the load from your shoulders;
I will free your hands from their heavy tasks.

Psalm 81 verses

Psalm 81 6 Meaning

Psalm 81:6 states, "I removed his shoulder from the burden; his hands were freed from the basket." This verse captures God's divine declaration of His past redemptive act for Israel. It specifically recalls the Lord's miraculous deliverance of His people from the harsh oppression and forced labor they endured in Egypt. The imagery vividly portrays the liberation from heavy, painful work imposed by their enslavers, emphasizing God as the sole initiator and power behind their freedom. It's a reminder of His steadfast care and intervention on behalf of His chosen people.

Psalm 81 6 Context

Psalm 81 is a communal song of praise and instruction, strongly associated with a major Israelite feast, specifically the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot) or Rosh Hashanah, indicated by the call to blow the shofar (v. 3). The Psalm opens with jubilant calls to worship God, Israel's strength. From verse 6 onwards, the voice shifts dramatically, becoming God Himself speaking directly to His people. This divine address begins by recalling His mighty acts of deliverance in the past, with verse 6 immediately bringing to mind the historical bondage in Egypt and God's miraculous intervention. It sets the foundation for God's subsequent lament over Israel's disobedience (v. 11-12) and His promises of abundant blessing should they return to obedience (v. 13-16). Thus, verse 6 serves as a foundational reminder of God's pivotal redemptive act with Israel, anchoring His divine admonitions and renewed promises in a past, undeniable act of salvation.

Psalm 81 6 Word analysis

• I removed (אֲנִי הֲסִרֹתִי - Ani hasiroti):
  • אֲנִי (Ani): "I". This emphatic personal pronoun identifies the speaker definitively as God, directly asserting His active role and supreme power in the liberation.
  • הֲסִרֹתִי (hasiroti): "I removed," "I caused to be removed," "I took away." This verb is in the Hiphil conjugation and perfect tense, indicating a completed, decisive, and deliberate action by God. It signifies His intentional and effective intervention to bring about change.
• his shoulder (שֶּׁכֶם - shekhem):
  • Literal meaning: The physical upper part of the back, between the neck and arms, often where heavy loads are borne.
  • Significance: This represents the literal point of deepest burden and excruciating physical labor. Carrying heavy loads on the shoulder was a characteristic image of slavery and strenuous, forced toil in the ancient world.
• from the burden (סִבְלוֹ מִשֶּׁכֶם - sivlo mishshekhem):
  • סִבְלוֹ (sivlo): "His burden," "his forced labor." This refers to the heavy, oppressive weight or task imposed on laborers, especially slaves. It denotes an agonizing and dehumanizing work that weighed down and oppressed the individual. It directly echoes the heavy tasks inflicted upon the Israelites in Exodus.
  • מִשֶּׁכֶם (mishshekhem): "From the shoulder." The prefix מִ (min) means "from," indicating a clear separation and removal. This imagery vividly conveys the physical relief and emancipation experienced when a crushing weight is literally lifted.
• his hands (יָדָיו - yadav):
  • Literal meaning: Hands, which are the primary tools used for physical labor and are fundamental for daily tasks.
  • Significance: Hands here represent not just the ability to work, but also their subjugation to involuntary, demanding labor. Freeing the hands symbolizes the cessation of coerced and binding activity, granting agency back to the individual.
• were freed from the basket (מִדּוּד תֵּעָבַרְנָה - midud te'avarnah):
  • מִדּוּד (midud): "From the basket" or "from the pot/kettle." The word דּוּד (dud) denotes a large pot, cauldron, or basket often used for carrying heavy materials like earth or bricks. This specifically reinforces the context of manual labor associated with the Israelites' bondage in Egypt, particularly their forced brick-making.
  • תֵּעָבַרְנָה (te'avarnah): "Were caused to pass away," "were removed," "were freed." From the root עָבַר (avar), to pass over or through. Here, it conveys that the hands themselves were made free from their hold on the burdensome basket, indicating release, cessation, and liberation from that specific, confining activity.

Psalm 81 6 Bonus section

The specific choice of implements like "shoulder" (shekhem) and "basket" (dud) provides a vivid, almost tactile, memory of Israel's forced labor in Egypt. The "shoulder" under a heavy burden was a common image of enslaved peoples in the ancient Near East. The "basket" (dud) particularly resonates with the work of making bricks, a notorious task of the Israelites in Egyptian bondage, signifying the carrying of mud, clay, or the finished product. This precision in detail emphasizes the crushing reality of their suffering and thus magnifies the astounding nature of God's personal and mighty intervention. The divine monologue in this Psalm served a critical liturgical role during a major feast, inviting the gathered assembly to recall and celebrate God's unparalleled saving acts before receiving His prophetic instructions and gracious promises for their future obedience. It provides both an historical anchor for their faith and a timeless pattern for understanding God's continuous redemptive work throughout generations.

Psalm 81 6 Commentary

Psalm 81:6 stands as a profound declaration of God's active and personal involvement in the deliverance of His people. The "I" pronoun (אֲנִי) signals a dramatic shift to God's direct speech, imbuing this declaration with ultimate authority and intimacy. The graphic imagery of "removing the shoulder from the burden" and "freeing the hands from the basket" is a powerful, almost visceral, portrayal of the immediate relief experienced from the severe and oppressive slavery in Egypt. These are not abstract concepts but tangible representations of liberation from intense manual labor, directly referencing the heavy burdens, brick-making, and other arduous tasks imposed by the Egyptians. This historical salvation event forms the bedrock of God's covenant relationship with Israel and serves as the fundamental basis for all subsequent appeals and instructions within the Psalm. It reminds the audience, both ancient and modern, that the Lord is undeniably their rescuer, faithful and mighty to set them free from any form of oppressive bondage, whether physical, societal, or spiritual. The verse eloquently underscores God's profound compassion and His unilateral power to break the chains of servitude.