Psalms 81
1 To the chief music-maker; put to the Gittith. Of Asaph. Make a song to God our strength: make a glad cry 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 Take up the melody, playing on an instrument of music, even on corded instruments.
Take up the melody, and sound the timbrel, the sweet harp with the psaltery.
3 Let the horn be sounded in the time of the new moon, at the full moon, on our holy feast-day:
Blow the horn at the new moon, at the full moon for our feast-day.
4 For this is a rule for Israel, and a law of the God of Jacob.
For it is a statute for Israel, an ordinance of the God of Jacob.
5 He gave it to Joseph as a witness, when he went out over the land of Egypt; then the words of a strange tongue were sounding in my ears.
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 took the weight from his back; his hands were made free from the baskets.
'I removed his shoulder from the burden; His hands were freed from the basket.
7 You gave a cry in your trouble, and I made you free; I gave you an answer in the secret place of the thunder; I put you to the test at the waters of Meribah. (Selah)
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 Give ear, O my people, and I will give you my word, O Israel, if you will only do as I say!
Hear, O My people, and I will admonish thee: O Israel, if thou wouldest hearken unto Me!
9 There is to be no strange god among you; you are not to give worship to any other god.
There shall no strange god be in thee; neither shalt thou worship any foreign god.
10 I am the Lord your God, who took you up from the land of Egypt: let your mouth be open wide, so that I may give you food.
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 did not give ear to my voice; Israel would have nothing to do with me.
But My people hearkened not to My voice; and Israel would none of Me.
12 So I gave them up to the desires of their hearts; that they might go after their evil purposes.
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 give ear to me, walking in my ways!
Oh that My people would hearken unto Me, that Israel would walk in My ways!
14 I would quickly overcome their haters: my hand would be turned against those who make war on them.
I would soon subdue their enemies, and turn My hand against their adversaries.
15 The haters of the Lord would be broken, and their destruction would be eternal.
The haters of the LORD should dwindle away before Him; and their punishment should endure for ever.
16 I would give them the best grain for food; you would be full of honey from the rock.
They should also be fed with the fat of wheat; and with honey out of the rock would I satisfy thee.'
