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.

Sing [songs] to praise God, who enables us to be strong [when we fight our enemies]; shout joyfully to God, whom we (descendants of Jacob/Israeli people) [worship]!

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

Start [playing] the music, and beat the tambourines, and play nice music on the harps and (lyres/other stringed instruments).

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

Blow the trumpets [during the festival to celebrate] each new moon and each time the moon is full and during our [other] festivals.

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

[Do that] because that is a law for [us] Israeli [people]; God commanded it for us descendants 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 commanded us Israeli [people to obey it] when he punished [the people of] Egypt. I heard someone [MTY] whose voice I did not recognize, saying,

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

“[After the rulers of Egypt forced you Israelis to work as slaves], I took those [heavy] burdens off your backs, and I enabled you to lay down those [heavy] baskets [of bricks that you were carrying].

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.

When you were [greatly] distressed, you called [out to me], and I rescued you; I answered you out of a thundercloud. [Later] I tested [whether you would trust me to give you] water [when you were in the desert] at Meribah.

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

[You who are] my people, listen while I warn you! I wish that you Israeli [people] would pay attention to what I [say to you]!

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

You must not have any idols of other gods among you; you must never bow to worship any of them!

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 Yahweh, your God; It was [not any of those other gods] who brought you out of Egypt, I am the one who did it! [So] ask me what you want me to do for you [MTY], and I will do it.

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

But my people would not listen to me [SYN]; they would not obey me.

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

So even though they were very stubborn, I allowed them to do whatever they wanted to do.

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

I wish that my people would listen to me, that the Israeli [people] would behave as I want them to do.

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

[If they did that], I would quickly defeat their enemies; I would strike/punish [all of] them [DOU].

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

[Then all] those who hate me would (cringe before/bow down to) me, and [then I] would punish them [MTY] forever.

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

[But] I would give you [Israelis] very good wheat/grain, and I would fill your stomachs with wild honey.”