Psalms 81

1 For the Chief Musician; set to the Gittith. [A Psalm] of Asaph. Sing aloud unto God our strength: Make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob.

For the leader. On the gittith. Of Asaph. Sing aloud to God our strength, shout for joy to the God of Jacob.

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

Raise a song, sound the timbrel, sweet lyre and harp.

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

On the new moon blow the horn, at the full moon, the day of our festival.

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

For this is a statute for Israel, a ruling 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.

a witness he set up in Joseph, when he marched against Egypt’s land, where he heard an unknown voice say:

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

‘I removed from your shoulder the burden, and freed your hands from the basket.

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

At your call of distress I delivered you, from the thundercloud I answered you. At Meribah’s waters I tested you. (Selah)

8 Hear, O my people, and I will testify unto thee: O Israel, if thou wouldest hearken unto me!

‘Listen, my people, to my warning, O Israel, if you would but listen!

9 There shall no strange god be in thee; Neither shalt thou worship any foreign god.

There must not be a strange god among you, you must bow to no foreign 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.

I am the Lord your God who brought you up out of Egypt. Open your mouth, that I fill it.

11 But my people hearkened not to my voice; And Israel would none of me.

‘But my people did not listen to my voice, Israel would have none of me.

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

So to their own hard hearts I left them, to follow their own devices.

13 Oh that my people would hearken unto me, That Israel would walk in my ways!

O that my people would listen, that Israel would walk in my ways.

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

Soon would I humble their enemies, and turn my hand on their foes.

15 The haters of Jehovah should submit themselves unto him: But their time should endure for ever.

Those who hate the Lord would cringe before him in everlasting terror.

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

But you would I feed with the richest wheat, and with honey from the rock to your heart’s desire.’