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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 warn you: O Israel, if only you would listen to Me!

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

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

There must not be a strange god among you, you must bow to no 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 your God who brought you up out of Egypt. Open your mouth, that I fill it.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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