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 of the music. On the Gittith. A psalm of Asaph.” Sing joyfully to God, our strength! Shout with gladness to the God of Jacob!

2 Take up the melody, playing on an instrument of music, even on corded instruments.

Raise a song, and strike the timbrel, The sweet-sounding harp, and 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 trumpet at the new moon; At the full moon, also, on our festal day!

4 For this is a rule for Israel, and a law of the God of Jacob.

For this is a statute for Israel, A law 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 as a memorial in Joseph, When he went out of the land of Egypt, Where he heard a language which he knew not.

6 I took the weight from his back; his hands were made free from the baskets.

“I relieved [[said he]] thy shoulders from their burden; Thy hands were removed from the hod.

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 delivered thee; In the secret place of thunder I answered thee; I proved thee at the waters of Meribah. (Pause)

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! that thou wouldst hearken to me!

9 There is to be no strange god among you; you are not to give worship to any other god.

Let there be no strange god within thee, Nor worship thou 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 Jehovah am thy God, Who brought thee out of the land of Egypt: Open wide thy mouth, 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 would not listen to my voice, And Israel would not hearken to me.

12 So I gave them up to the desires of their hearts; that they might go after their evil purposes.

So I gave them up to the obstinacy of their hearts, And they walked according to their own devices.

13 If only my people would give ear to me, walking in my ways!

“O that my people had hearkened to me! That Israel had walked in my ways!

14 I would quickly overcome their haters: my hand would be turned against those who make war on them.

Soon would I have brought low their enemies, And turned my hand against their adversaries.

15 The haters of the Lord would be broken, and their destruction would be eternal.

The haters of Jehovah should have become suppliants to them, And their prosperity should have endured for ever.

16 I would give them the best grain for food; you would be full of honey from the rock.

With the finest of the wheat I would have fed them, And with honey out of the rock would I have satisfied them.”