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Psalm 81:14-16
New Catholic Bible
Psalm 81:14-16
New Catholic Bible
14 [a]“If only my people would listen to me,
if only Israel would walk in my ways,[b]
15 I would quickly subdue their enemies
and raise my hand[c] against their foes.
16 “Then those who hate the Lord[d] would tremble before him,
for their doom would last forever.
Footnotes
- Psalm 81:14 An allusion to the covenant blessings; the era of wars and persecutions will cease (see Lk 21:24), their enemies will be vanquished, and the people will enjoy the best of everything.
- Psalm 81:14 The Lord cannot abandon his people completely. He calls them to return to him and follow his ways, i.e., his commandments (see Pss 27:11; 86:11; 128:1; 143:8). For if they listen to God’s word, they will respond by faith and repentance, and carry out his will rather than their own.
- Psalm 81:15 If his people return to him, the Lord will quickly come to their aid with his hand pressing hard against their enemies.
- Psalm 81:16 If his people return to him, the Lord will mete out to their enemies—those who hate the Lord—their just deserts, inflicting on them an everlasting punishment.
