Psalms 81

1 For the choirmaster. According to Gittith. Of Asaph. Sing for joy to God our strength; make a joyful noise to the God of Jacob.

For the Leader; upon the Gittith. A Psalm of Asaph. Sing aloud unto God our strength; shout unto the God of Jacob.

2 Lift up a song, strike the tambourine, play the sweet-sounding harp and lyre.

Take up the melody, and sound the timbrel, the sweet harp with the psaltery.

3 Sound the ram’s horn at the New Moon, and at the full moon on the day of our Feast.

Blow the horn at the new moon, at the full moon for our feast-day.

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

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

5 He ordained it as a testimony for Joseph when he went out over the land of Egypt, where I heard an unfamiliar language:

He appointed it in Joseph for a testimony, when He went forth against the land of Egypt. The speech of one that I knew not did I hear:

6 “I relieved his shoulder of the burden; his hands were freed from the basket.

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

7 You called out in distress, and I rescued you; I answered you from the cloud of thunder; I tested you at the waters of Meribah.

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

8 Hear, O My people, and I will warn you: O Israel, if only you would listen to Me!

Hear, O My people, and I will admonish thee: O Israel, if thou wouldest hearken unto Me!

9 There must be no strange god among you, nor shall you bow to a foreign god.

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

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

I am the LORD thy God, who brought thee up out of the land of Egypt; open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.

11 But My people would not listen to Me, and Israel would not obey Me.

But My people hearkened not to My voice; and Israel would none of Me.

12 So I gave them up to their stubborn hearts to follow their own devices.

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

13 If only My people would listen to Me, if Israel would follow My ways,

Oh that My people would hearken unto Me, that Israel would walk in My ways!

14 how soon I would subdue their enemies and turn My hand against their foes!

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

15 Those who hate the LORD would feign obedience, and their doom would last forever.

The haters of the LORD should dwindle away before Him; and their punishment should endure for ever.

16 But I would feed you the finest wheat; with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”

They should also be fed with the fat of wheat; and with honey out of the rock would I satisfy thee.'