“Hear, O my people, and I will testify unto thee: O Israel, if thou wilt hearken unto me;”
God addresses Israel directly: "Hear, O my people, while I admonish you; O Israel, if you would but listen to me!" The direct address shifts from historical recitation to present exhortation. God offers wisdom and guidance if the people would truly listen. The conditional "if you would but listen" suggests that attentiveness is the prerequisite for receiving God's instruction.
Church Fathers on Psalms 81:8
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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