“Oh that my people had hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my ways!”
A final appeal is made: "O that my people would listen to me, that Israel would walk in my ways!" The yearning tone suggests that despite Israel's refusal, God desires the people's obedience. The plea employs the conditional "if only"—God wishes the situation were different.
Church Fathers on Psalms 81:13
1. For a Title this Psalm has, “Unto the end for the presses, on the fifth of the Sabbath, a Psalm to Asaph himself.” Into one title many mysteries are heaped together, still so that the lintel of the Psalm indicates the things within. As we have to speak of the presses, let no one expect that we shall speak of a vat, of a press, of olive baskets; because neither the Psalm has this, and therefore it indicates the greater mystery.... No such thing did ye hear in this when it…
Nicene & Post-Nicene / Ante-Nicene Fathers translations · public domain
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