Psalms 81

1 For the Chief Musician. On an instrument of Gath. By Asaph. Sing aloud to God, our strength! Make a joyful shout to the God of Jacob!

“For the leader of the music. On the Gittith. A psalm of Asaph.” Sing joyfully to God, our strength! Shout with gladness to the God of Jacob!

2 Raise a song, and bring here the tambourine, the pleasant lyre with the harp.

Raise a song, and strike the timbrel, The sweet-sounding harp, and the psaltery!

3 Blow the trumpet at the New Moon, at the full moon, on our feast day.

Blow the trumpet at the new moon; At the full moon, also, on our festal day!

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

For this is a statute for Israel, A law of the God of Jacob;

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

He appointed it as a memorial in Joseph, When he went out of the land of Egypt, Where he heard a language which he knew not.

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

“I relieved [[said he]] thy shoulders from their burden; Thy hands were removed from the hod.

7 You called in trouble, and I delivered you. I answered you in the secret place of thunder. I tested you at the waters of Meribah.” (Selah)

Thou didst call in trouble, and I delivered thee; In the secret place of thunder I answered thee; I proved thee at the waters of Meribah. (Pause)

8 “Hear, my people, and I will testify to you, Israel, if you would listen to me!

Hear, O my people! and I will admonish thee! O Israel! that thou wouldst hearken to me!

9 There shall be no strange god in you, neither shall you worship any foreign god.

Let there be no strange god within thee, Nor worship thou any foreign god!

10 I am the LORD, your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.

I Jehovah am thy God, Who brought thee out of the land of Egypt: Open wide thy mouth, and I will fill it!

11 But my people did not listen to my voice. Israel desired none of me.

But my people would not listen to my voice, And Israel would not hearken to me.

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

So I gave them up to the obstinacy of their hearts, And they walked according to their own devices.

13 Oh that my people would listen to me, that Israel would walk in my ways!

“O that my people had hearkened to me! That Israel had walked in my ways!

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

Soon would I have brought low their enemies, And turned my hand against their adversaries.

15 The haters of the LORD would cringe before him, and their punishment would last forever.

The haters of Jehovah should have become suppliants to them, And their prosperity should have endured for ever.

16 But he would have also fed them with the finest of the wheat. I will satisfy you with honey out of the rock.”

With the finest of the wheat I would have fed them, And with honey out of the rock would I have satisfied them.”