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

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

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

3 Let the horn be sounded in the time of the new moon, at the full moon, on our holy feast-day:

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

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

For this is a statute for Israel, a ruling 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.

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

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

“I removed from your shoulder the burden, and freed your hands 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)

At your call of distress I delivered you, from the thundercloud I answered you. At Meribah’s waters I tested you. (Selah)

8 Give ear, O my people, and I will give you my word, O Israel, if you will only do as I say!

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

9 There is to be no strange god among you; you are not to give worship to any other 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 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 your God who brought you up out of Egypt. Open your mouth, that I fill it.

11 But my people did not give ear to my voice; Israel would have nothing to do with me.

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

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

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

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

O that my people would listen, 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.

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

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

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

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

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