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 OVERSEER. ON THE GITTITH. BY ASAPH. Cry aloud to God our strength, Shout to the God of Jacob.

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

Lift up a song, and give out a timbrel, A pleasant harp with stringed instrument.

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

Blow a horn in the month, In the new moon, at the day of our festival,

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

For it [is] a statute to Israel, An ordinance of 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.

He has placed it—a testimony on Joseph, In his going forth over the land of Egypt. A lip, I have not known—I hear.

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

I turned aside his shoulder from the burden, His hands pass over from the 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 you have called and I deliver you, I answer you in the secret place of thunder, I try you by 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 testify to you, O Israel, if you listen to me:

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

There is not in you a strange god, And you do not bow yourself to a 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] your God YHWH, Who brings you up out of the land of Egypt. Enlarge your mouth, and I fill it.

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

But My people did not listen to My voice, And Israel has not consented to Me.

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

And I send them away in the enmity of their heart, They walk in their own counsels.

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

O that My people were listening to Me, 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.

As a little thing I cause their enemies to bow, And I turn back My hand against their adversaries,

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

Those hating YHWH should have feigned [obedience] to Him, And their time would last for all time.

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

He causes him to eat of the fat of wheat, And I satisfy you [with] honey from a rock!