The Meaning of Psalms 81:4 Explained

Psalms 81:4

KJV: For this was a statute for Israel, and a law of the God of Jacob.

YLT: For a statute to Israel it is, An ordinance of the God of Jacob.

Darby: For this is a statute for Israel, an ordinance of the God of Jacob;

ASV: For it is a statute for Israel, An ordinance of the God of Jacob.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For this [was] a statute  for Israel,  [and] a law  of the God  of Jacob. 

What does Psalms 81:4 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 81:1-7 - Sing Unto God, The Deliverer
It is supposed that this psalm was composed for use at the great Hebrew festivals and especially at the Passover, which is referred to in Psalms 81:5-7; Psalms 81:10. See also 2 Chronicles 30:21. Let us remember to celebrate the redemption of the Cross, where our Paschal Lamb was sacrificed. We must celebrate, here and hereafter, the love that rescued us from the burden and the basket, at Sinai and Meribah. Baskets have been found in the sepulchral vaults at Thebes, and were doubtless used for carrying the clay or the manufactured bricks. They are symbols of the drudgery and slavery of sin, when we served a hard taskmaster, whose wages is death.
If we are in trouble, let us quote Psalms 81:7, call on God, and reckon on His delivering helpfulness. He will answer from "his thunder-covert." He comes out of His secret place. Especially when the thunder of a broken law is in our ears, let us hasten to the Redeemer, who has fulfilled the law in our stead. Let us maintain by faith our standing in Him; then we shall be as they who look down from the high mountains on the thunder-storm at our feet. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 81

1  An exhortation to a solemn praising of God
4  God challenges that duty by reason of his benefits
8  God, exhorting to obedience, complains of their disobedience, which proves their own hurt

What do the individual words in Psalms 81:4 mean?

For a statute for Israel that [is] a law of the God of Jacob
כִּ֤י חֹ֣ק לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל ה֑וּא מִ֝שְׁפָּ֗ט לֵאלֹהֵ֥י יַעֲקֹֽב

חֹ֣ק  a  statute 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֹק  
Sense: statute, ordinance, limit, something prescribed, due.
לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל  for  Israel 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
ה֑וּא  that  [is] 
Parse: Pronoun, third person masculine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
מִ֝שְׁפָּ֗ט  a  law 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִשְׁפָּט  
Sense: judgment, justice, ordinance.
לֵאלֹהֵ֥י  of  the  God 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
יַעֲקֹֽב  of  Jacob 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יַעֲקֹב  
Sense: son of Isaac, grandson of Abraham, and father of the 2 patriarchs of the tribes of Israel.

What are the major concepts related to Psalms 81:4?

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