Psalms 81:8

81:8 I said, ¹  ‘Listen, my people!

I will warn ²  you!

O Israel, if only you would obey me! ³ 

[81:8]  ¹ tn The words “I said” are supplied in the translation for clarification. Verses 8-10 appear to recall what the Lord commanded the generation of Israelites that experienced the events described in v. 7. Note the statement in v. 11, “my people did not listen to me.”

[81:8]  ² tn Or perhaps “command.”

[81:8]  ³ tn The Hebrew particle אִם (“if”) and following prefixed verbal form here express a wish (GKC 321 §109.b). Note that the apodosis (the “then” clause of the conditional sentence) is suppressed.