The Meaning of Psalms 81:11 Explained

Psalms 81:11

KJV: But my people would not hearken to my voice; and Israel would none of me.

YLT: But, My people hearkened not to My voice, And Israel hath not consented to Me.

Darby: But my people hearkened not to my voice, and Israel would none of me.

ASV: But my people hearkened not to my voice; And Israel would none of me.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

But my people  would not hearken  to my voice;  and Israel  would  none of me. 

What does Psalms 81:11 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 81:8-16 - "if Thou Wouldest Hearken Unto Me"
God wants our emptiness, which seems to Him like the gaping beak of the young fledgling, Psalms 81:10. Give me room! is his incessant appeal. It must be the wonder of eternity, and it will certainly be our regret when we come to review our life, that we have asked so little. Give me room! cries the river, as it comes with a rush to the plains. Give me room! cries the wind, as it searches into the narrow courts and alleys of the slums. Give me room! says the Spirit of God, as He breathes around the house of our heart, seeking by any tiny crack to enter.
In the closing Psalms 81:13-16, we have an enumeration of all the blessings which would be ours, if only we would open our mouths wide. God would constitute Himself as our champion in subduing our enemies-the temptations from without and the inward warrings of selfishness and passion. He would give us unbroken and enduring blessedness. He would allow us to eat of His flesh and drink of His blood, which are meat and drink indeed. He would surely satisfy us with the sweet honey of His love. Let us begin to claim these benefits! [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 81:11 mean?

But not would heed My people My voice and Israel none would [have] of Me
וְלֹא־ שָׁמַ֣ע עַמִּ֣י לְקוֹלִ֑י וְ֝יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל לֹא־ אָ֥בָה לִֽי

וְלֹא־  But  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
שָׁמַ֣ע  would  heed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
עַמִּ֣י  My  people 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
לְקוֹלִ֑י  My  voice 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: קֹול 
Sense: voice, sound, noise.
וְ֝יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל  and  Israel 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, 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.
לֹא־  none 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
אָ֥בָה  would  [have] 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָבָה  
Sense: to be willing, consent.
לִֽי  of  Me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular