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 chief musician; set to the Gittith style. A psalm of Asaph. Sing aloud to God our strength; shout out for joy to the God of Jacob.

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

Sing a song and play the tambourine, the pleasant lyre with the harp.

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

Blow the trumpet on the day of the new moon, on the day of the full moon, when our feast day begins.

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

For it is a statute for Israel, a decree given by 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 issued it as a regulation in Joseph when he went against the land of Egypt, where I heard a voice that I did not recognize:

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

“I removed the burden from his shoulder; his hands were freed from holding 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.

In your distress you called out, and I helped you; I answered you from a dark thundercloud. I tested you 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!

Listen, my people, for I will warn you, Israel, if you would only listen to me!

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

There must be no foreign god among you; you must not 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 Yahweh your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt. Open your 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 did not listen to my words; Israel did not obey me.

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

So I gave them over to their own stubborn way so that they might do what seemed right to them.

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

Oh, that my people would listen to me; oh, that my people would walk in my paths.

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

Then I would quickly subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their oppressors.

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

May those who hate Yahweh cringe in fear before him! May they be humiliated forever.

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

I would feed Israel with the finest wheat; I would satisfy you with honey out of the rock.”