Psalms 81:6-7

81:6 It said: ¹  “I removed the burden from his shoulder;

his hands were released from holding the basket. ² 

81:7 In your distress you called out and I rescued you.

I answered you from a dark thundercloud. ³ 

I tested you at the waters of Meribah. ⁴  (Selah)

[81:6]  ¹ tn The words “It said” are not included in the Hebrew text. They are supplied in the translation for clarification.

[81:6]  ² sn I removed the burden. The Lord speaks metaphorically of how he delivered his people from Egyptian bondage. The reference to a basket/burden probably alludes to the hard labor of the Israelites in Egypt, where they had to carry loads of bricks (see Exod 1:14).

[81:7]  ³ tn Heb “I answered you in the hidden place of thunder.” This may allude to God’s self-revelation at Mount Sinai, where he appeared in a dark cloud accompanied by thunder (see Exod 19:16).

[81:7]  ⁴ sn The name Meribah means “strife.” Two separate but similar incidents at the place called Meribah are recorded in the Pentateuch (Exod 17:1-7; Num 20:1-13). In both cases the Israelites complained about lack of water and the Lord miraculously provided for them.