Psalms 81:7
Thou calledst in trouble, and I delivered thee; I answered thee in the secret place of thunder: I proved thee at the waters of Meribah. Selah.
Original Language Analysis
קָרָ֗אתָ
Thou calledst
H7121
קָרָ֗אתָ
Thou calledst
Strong's:
H7121
Word #:
2 of 11
to call out to (i.e., properly, address by name, but used in a wide variety of applications)
וָאֲחַ֫לְּצֶ֥ךָּ
and I delivered
H2502
וָאֲחַ֫לְּצֶ֥ךָּ
and I delivered
Strong's:
H2502
Word #:
3 of 11
to pull off; hence (intensively) to strip, (reflexive) to depart; by implication, to deliver, equip (for fight); present, strengthen
אֶ֭עֶנְךָ
thee I answered
H6030
אֶ֭עֶנְךָ
thee I answered
Strong's:
H6030
Word #:
4 of 11
properly, to eye or (generally) to heed, i.e., pay attention; by implication, to respond; by extension to begin to speak; specifically to sing, shout,
בְּסֵ֣תֶר
thee in the secret place
H5643
בְּסֵ֣תֶר
thee in the secret place
Strong's:
H5643
Word #:
5 of 11
a cover (in a good or a bad, a literal or a figurative sense)
אֶבְחָֽנְךָ֙
I proved
H974
אֶבְחָֽנְךָ֙
I proved
Strong's:
H974
Word #:
7 of 11
to test (especially metals); generally and figuratively, to investigate
עַל
H5921
עַל
Strong's:
H5921
Word #:
8 of 11
above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
מֵ֖י
thee at the waters
H4325
מֵ֖י
thee at the waters
Strong's:
H4325
Word #:
9 of 11
water; figuratively, juice; by euphemism, urine, semen
Cross References
Exodus 19:19And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice.Psalms 50:15And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.Exodus 2:23And it came to pass in process of time, that the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage.Numbers 20:13This is the water of Meribah; because the children of Israel strove with the LORD, and he was sanctified in them.Exodus 14:10And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the LORD.Exodus 14:24And it came to pass, that in the morning watch the LORD looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians,Deuteronomy 33:8And of Levi he said, Let thy Thummim and thy Urim be with thy holy one, whom thou didst prove at Massah, and with whom thou didst strive at the waters of Meribah;Numbers 20:24Aaron shall be gathered unto his people: for he shall not enter into the land which I have given unto the children of Israel, because ye rebelled against my word at the water of Meribah.
Historical Context
The exodus narrative progressed from cry (Exodus 2:23) to deliverance (Exodus 14) to covenant (Exodus 19-20) to testing (Exodus 17, Numbers 20). Meribah ('contention') became synonymous with Israel's rebellion, costing Moses the Promised Land. Despite their failure, God's covenant faithfulness never wavered—the water still flowed, the manna still fell.
Questions for Reflection
- How quickly do you forget God's past deliverances when facing new trials, and how can remembrance combat doubt?
- What does God's response 'in the secret place of thunder' teach about His transcendence and the awe proper to worship?
- Why does God 'prove' or test His people after deliverance rather than simply rewarding them with ease?
Analysis & Commentary
Thou calledst in trouble, and I delivered thee (בַּצָּרָה קָרָאתָ וָאֲחַלְּצֶךָּ)—Tsarah (distress, trouble) recalls Israel's groaning under Egyptian oppression (Exodus 2:23-24). Achalletskha ('I rescued you') emphasizes God's powerful intervention. I answered thee in the secret place of thunder (be-seter raʿam)—likely Mount Sinai, where God descended in thunderous glory (Exodus 19:16-19, 20:18).
I proved thee at the waters of Meribah (Exodus 17:1-7, Numbers 20:1-13)—Israel's rebellious testing of God ('Is the Lord among us or not?') despite His proven faithfulness. The tragic irony: God answered their cry, gave them law in thunder, and provided water from rock, yet they still doubted. This pattern of divine faithfulness meeting human faithlessness runs throughout redemptive history.