This he ordained in Joseph for a testimony, when he went out through the land of Egypt: where I heard a language that I understood not.

PSALMS 81:5KJV
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Psalms 81:5 (KJV)

What does Psalms 81:5 mean?

Psalms 81:5 recalls how God established a law or ordinance for the descendants of Joseph (meaning the people of Israel) as a lasting witness, especially when they left Egypt, a place where the language was unfamiliar to them. The verse highlights the moment of Israel’s deliverance from Egypt and God’s special instructions given during that time.

The psalmist, likely Asaph, is speaking to the people of Israel, reminding them of their history and God’s actions on their behalf. The mention of Joseph refers to the tribes descended from him, representing all Israel. The reference to hearing a language not understood points to the foreignness of Egypt and the strangeness of their situation before God rescued them.

The Hebrew behind Psalms 81:5

  • ordained (שָׂם, sām): This word means “set,” “appointed,” or “established.” It emphasizes that God intentionally put this testimony or law in place for Israel, not by accident or tradition.
  • Joseph (יוֹסֵף, yôsēf): Here, “Joseph” stands for the tribes descended from him, especially Ephraim and Manasseh, but often represents all of Israel in poetic language.
  • testimony (עֵדוּת, ‘ēdût): This word means “witness” or “testimony,” pointing to something that serves as a reminder or proof of God’s work and expectations for His people.
  • language (שָׂפָה, śāpāh): Literally “lip,” but used for “language” or “speech.” The phrase “a language that I understood not” highlights the sense of being strangers in a foreign land, underlining the dramatic change when God brought them out.

Why Psalms 81:5 matters

  • This verse clarifies that God’s instructions and reminders to Israel were rooted in a specific historical event: their deliverance from Egypt, not just abstract commands.
  • The mention of an unfamiliar language underscores the Israelites’ alienation and vulnerability in Egypt, making God’s rescue even more significant.
  • By recalling Joseph and the exodus, the psalm connects the people’s present worship and obedience to their foundational story of redemption and identity.

Where else these words appear

“testimony” Hebrew H5715 · used in 57 verses

  • Exodus 16:34 As the LORD commanded Moses, so Aaron laid it up before the Testimony, to be kept.
  • Exodus 40:20 And he took and put the testimony into the ark, and set the staves on the ark, and put the mercy seat above upon the ark:
  • 2 Kings 23:3 And the king stood by a pillar, and made a covenant before the LORD, to walk after the LORD, and to keep his commandments and his testimonies and his statutes with all their heart and all their soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people stood to the covenant.