God’s Word Translation
Psalms 81:9
9Never keep any strange god among you. Never worship a foreign god.
Psalms 81:9 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)There shall no strange god be in thee; neither shalt thou worship any strange god.
- New International Version (NIV)You shall have no foreign god among you; you shall not worship any god other than me.
- English Standard Version (ESV)There shall be no strange god among you; you shall not bow down to a foreign god.
- New King James Version (NKJV)There shall be no foreign god among you; Nor shall you worship any foreign god.
Context of Psalms 81:9
7When you were in trouble, you called out ⌞to me⌟, and I rescued you. I was hidden in thunder, but I answered you. I tested your ⌞loyalty⌟ at the oasis of Meribah. Selah 8Listen, my people, and I will warn you. Israel, if you would only listen to me! Never keep any strange god among you. Never worship a foreign god. 10I am the Lord your God, the one who brought you out of Egypt. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it. 11“But my people did not listen to me. Israel wanted nothing to do with me.
Read all of Psalms 81Psalms 81:9 word by word
לֹֽא־יִהְיֶ֣ה בְ֭ךָ אֵ֣ל זָ֑ר וְלֹ֥א תִ֝שְׁתַּחֲוֶ֗ה לְאֵ֣ל נֵכָֽר׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Psalms 81:9
- Exodus 20:3“Never have any other god.
- 1 Corinthians 8:5People may say that there are gods in heaven and on earth—many gods and many lords, as they would call them.
- Deuteronomy 6:14Never worship any of the gods worshiped by the people around you.
- Deuteronomy 32:12so the Lord alone led his people. No foreign god was with him.
- Isaiah 43:12I have revealed it to you, I have saved you, and I have announced it to you. There was no foreign ⌞god⌟ among you. You are my witnesses that I am God,” declares the Lord.
- Malachi 2:11Judah has been unfaithful! A disgusting thing has been done in Israel and Jerusalem. Judah has dishonored the holy place that the Lord loves and has married a woman who worships a foreign god.
Commentaries on Psalms 81:9
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9There shall no strange god be in thee - Worshipped by thee; or recognized and regarded as a god. This was a condition of his favor and friendship. Compare Deuteronomy 32:12; Isaiah 43:12. The word here rendered “strange” - זר zār - has reference to one of a foreign nation; and the meaning is, that they were not to worship or adore the gods that were worshipped by foreigners. This was a fundamental law of the Hebrew commonwealth. Neither shalt thou…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 8-16Verses 8-16 We cannot look for too little from the creature, nor too much from the Creator. We may have enough from God, if we pray for it in faith. All the wickedness of the world is owing to man's wilfulness. People are not religious, because they will not be so. God is not the Author of their sin, he leaves them to the lusts of their own hearts, and the counsels of their own heads; if they do not well, the blame must be upon themselves. The Lord is…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8-10God pleads with his people to remember the covenant and the Ten Commandments.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-161. our strength--(Psa 38:7).Read the comment
Topics related to Psalms 81:9
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Psalms 81
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- The Treasury of David
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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