This he ordained in Joseph for a testimony, when he went out through the land of Egypt: where I heard a language that I understood not.
Parallel translations
- WEB He appointed it in Joseph for a testimony, when he went out over the land of Egypt, I heard a language that I didn’t know.
- BSB He ordained it as a testimony for Joseph when he went out over the land of Egypt, where I heard an unfamiliar language:
- NKJV This He established in Joseph as a testimony, When He went throughout the land of Egypt, Where I heard a language I did not understand.
- NASB He established it as a testimony in Joseph When he went throughout the land of Egypt. I heard a language I did not know:
- NLT He made it a law for Israel when he attacked Egypt to set us free. I heard an unknown voice say,
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
God established this testimony when He went out against Egypt, and a voice speaks of hearing an unfamiliar language. The feast memorializes the exodus deliverance.
Overview
The statute is tied to the exodus, when God acted to free His people from Egypt. The 'language I didn't know' likely refers either to Israel's experience of Egypt or to God's own voice now beginning to speak in the verses that follow. It transitions the psalm from celebration into God's direct address, recalling His mighty acts of salvation.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 17
- Ps 114:1When Israel went out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language;
- Jer 5:15Lo, I will bring a nation upon you from far, O house of Israel, saith the LORD: it is a mighty nation, it is an ancient nation, a nation whose language thou knowest not, neither understandest what they say.
- 1 Cor 14:21–22In the law it is written, With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the LORD.
- Deut 28:49The LORD shall bring a nation against thee from far, from the end of the earth, as swift as the eagle flieth; a nation whose tongue thou shalt not understand;
- Isa 28:11For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.
- Exod 11:4And Moses said, Thus saith the LORD, About midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt:
- Exod 13:8–9And thou shalt shew thy son in that day, saying, This is done because of that which the LORD did unto me when I came forth out of Egypt.
- Ps 77:15Thou hast with thine arm redeemed thy people, the sons of Jacob and Joseph. Selah.
- Exod 12:27That ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of the LORD’s passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses. And the people bowed the head and worshipped.
- Exod 12:12For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD.
- Amos 6:6That drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief ointments: but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph.
- Exod 13:14–16And it shall be when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What is this? that thou shalt say unto him, By strength of hand the LORD brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage:
- Deut 4:45These are the testimonies, and the statutes, and the judgments, which Moses spake unto the children of Israel, after they came forth out of Egypt,
- Exod 12:29And it came to pass, that at midnight the LORD smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle.
- Ps 80:1–2Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; thou that dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth.
- Ps 78:6That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children:
- Ezek 20:20And hallow my sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I am the LORD your God.
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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 81:5 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.