Psalms 81

1 Sing aloud to God our strength. Make a joyful noise to the God of Jacob.

For the end, a Psalm for Asaph, concerning the wine-presses. Rejoice ye in God our helper; shout aloud to the God of Jacob.

2 Raise a song, and bring here the timbrel, the pleasant harp with the psaltery.

Take a psalm, and produce the timbrel, the pleasant psaltery with the harp.

3 Blow the trumpet at the new moon, at the full moon, on our feast-day.

Blow the trumpet at the new moon, in the glorious day of your feast.

4 For it is a statute for Israel, an ordinance of the God of Jacob.

For [this] is an ordinance for Israel, and a statute of the God of Jacob.

5 He appointed it in Joseph for a testimony when he went out over the land of Egypt, where I heard a language that I knew not.

He made it [to be] a testimony in Joseph, when he came forth out of the land of Egypt: he heard a language which he understood not.

6 I removed his shoulder from the burden. His hands were freed from the basket.

He removed his back from burdens: his hands slaved in making the baskets.

7 Thou called in trouble, and I delivered thee. I answered thee in the secret place of thunder. I proved thee at the waters of Meribah. (Selah)

Thou didst call upon me in trouble, and I delivered thee; I heard thee in the secret place of the storm: I proved thee at the water of Strife. (Pause)

8 Hear, O my people, and I will testify to thee, O Israel, if thou would hearken to me!

Hear, my people, and I will speak to thee, O Israel; and I will testify to thee: if thou wilt hearken to me;

9 There shall no strange god be in thee, nor shall thou worship any foreign god.

there shall be no new god in thee; neither shalt thou worship a strange god.

10 I am Jehovah thy God who brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.

For I am the Lord thy God, that brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.

11 But my people hearkened not to my voice, and Israel would none of me.

But my people hearkened not to my voice; and Israel gave no heed to me.

12 So I let them go after the stubbornness of their heart, that they might walk in their own counsels.

So I let them go after the ways of their own hearts: they will go on in their own ways.

13 O that my people would hearken to me, that Israel would walk in my ways!

If my people had hearkened to me, if Israel had walked in my ways,

14 I would soon subdue their enemies, and turn my hand against their adversaries.

I should have put down their enemies very quickly, and should have laid my hand upon those that afflicted them.

15 (The haters of Jehovah feign obedience to him, but their time is forever.)

The Lord's enemies [should have] lied to him: but their time shall be for ever.

16 He would feed them also with the finest of the wheat. And I would satisfy thee with honey out of the rock.

And he fed them with the fat of wheat; and satisfied them with honey out of the rock.