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“But no, my people wouldn’t listen. Israel did not want me around.
Psalms 81:11 · New Living Translation
Parallel translations
  • WEB But my people didn’t listen to my voice. Israel desired none of me.
  • KJV But my people would not hearken to my voice; and Israel would none of me.
  • BSB But My people would not listen to Me, and Israel would not obey Me.
  • NKJV “But My people would not heed My voice, And Israel would have none of Me.
  • NASB ¶“But My people did not listen to My voice, And Israel did not obey Me.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

Despite this, God's people refused to listen, and Israel wanted nothing of Him. The tragedy of stubborn unbelief is laid bare.

Overview

The generous offer of v. 10 meets human refusal, as Israel would not heed God's voice or desire Him. This exposes the deep problem of a hardened heart that spurns grace. It is a sober warning, echoed in the New Testament's call not to harden hearts as Israel did (Heb. 3:7-19).

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 9

  • Jer 7:23–24but this thing I commanded them, saying, ‘Listen to my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people; and walk in all the way that I command you, that it may be well with you.’
  • Deut 32:18Of the Rock who became your father, you are unmindful, and have forgotten God who gave you birth.
  • Jer 2:11–13Has a nation changed its gods, which really are no gods? But my people have changed their glory for that which does not profit.
  • Exod 32:1When the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people gathered themselves together to Aaron, and said to him, “Come, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we don’t know what has become of him.”
  • Zech 7:11But they refused to listen, and turned their backs, and stopped their ears, that they might not hear.
  • Deut 32:15But Jeshurun grew fat, and kicked. You have grown fat. You have grown thick. You have become sleek. Then he abandoned God who made him, and rejected the Rock of his salvation.
  • Prov 1:30They wanted none of my counsel. They despised all my reproof.
  • Heb 10:29How much worse punishment do you think he will be judged worthy of who has trodden under foot the Son of God, and has counted the blood of the covenant with which he was sanctified an unholy thing, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?
  • Ps 106:12–13Then they believed his words. They sang his praise.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (3)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Psalms videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Psalms 81:11YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on PsalmsMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.

How Psalms 81:11 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.