Psalms 81

1 For the end, a Psalm for Asaph, concerning the wine-presses. Rejoice ye in God our helper; shout aloud to the God of Jacob.

“To the chief musician upon Gittith; by Assaph.” Sing aloud unto God our strength: shout joyfully unto the God of Jacob.

2 Take a psalm, and produce the timbrel, the pleasant psaltery with the harp.

Lift up psalm, and bring hither the timbrel, the pleasant harp with the psaltery.

3 Blow the trumpet at the new moon, in the glorious day of your feast.

Blow on the new moon the cornet, at the time appointed, on the day of our feast.

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

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

5 He made it [to be] a testimony in Joseph, when he came forth out of the land of Egypt: he heard a language which he understood not.

As a testimony in Joseph did he ordain it, when he went out over the land of Egypt. The language of one I had not known did I hear.

6 He removed his back from burdens: his hands slaved in making the baskets.

I removed from the burden his shoulder: his hands left behind the burden-basket.

7 Thou didst call upon me in trouble, and I delivered thee; I heard thee in the secret place of the storm: I proved thee at the water of Strife. (Pause)

In distress thou didst call, and I delivered thee; I answered thee in the secret of the thunder: I proved thee at the waters of Meribah. (Selah)

8 Hear, my people, and I will speak to thee, O Israel; and I will testify to thee: if thou wilt hearken to me;

Hear, O my people, and I will give warning unto thee; O Israel, if thou wouldst but hearken unto me!

9 there shall be no new god in thee; neither shalt thou worship a strange god.

There shall not be among thee a foreign God; nor shalt thou bow thyself down to any strange God.

10 For I am the Lord thy God, that brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.

I am the Lord thy God, who have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt: open wide thy mouth, and I will fill it.

11 But my people hearkened not to my voice; and Israel gave no heed to me.

But my people did not hearken to my voice; and Israel was not willing [to follow] me.

12 So I let them go after the ways of their own hearts: they will go on in their own ways.

So I let them go in the stubbornness of their own hearts: and they walked in their own counsels.

13 If my people had hearkened to me, if Israel had walked in my ways,

Oh that my people would hearken unto me, that Israel would walk in my ways!

14 I should have put down their enemies very quickly, and should have laid my hand upon those that afflicted them.

In a little while would I subdue their enemies, and against their adversaries would I turn my hand.

15 The Lord's enemies [should have] lied to him: but their time shall be for ever.

The haters of the Lord should offer flattery unto him; but their time should endure for ever.

16 And he fed them with the fat of wheat; and satisfied them with honey out of the rock.

And he would feed him with the best of wheat: and out of the rock would I satisfy thee with honey.