Psalms 81

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

For the chief musician; set to the Gittith style. A psalm of Asaph. Sing aloud to God our strength; shout out for joy to the God of Jacob.

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

Sing a song and play the tambourine, the pleasant lyre with the harp.

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

Blow the trumpet on the day of the new moon, on the day of the full moon, when our feast day begins.

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

For it is a statute for Israel, a decree given 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.

He issued it as a regulation in Joseph when he went against the land of Egypt, where I heard a voice that I did not recognize:

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

“I removed the burden from his shoulder; his hands were freed from holding the basket.

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

In your distress you called out, and I helped you; I answered you from a dark thundercloud. I tested you at the waters of Meribah. (Selah)

8 Hear, my people, and I will speak to you, O Israel; and I will testify to you: if you will listen to me;

Listen, my people, for I will warn you, Israel, if you would only listen to me!

9 there shall be no new god in you; neither shall you worship a strange god.

There must be no foreign god among you; you must not worship any foreign god.

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

I am Yahweh your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.

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

But my people did not listen to my words; Israel did not obey me.

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

So I gave them over to their own stubborn way so that they might do what seemed right to them.

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

Oh, that my people would listen to me; oh, that my people would walk in my paths.

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

Then I would quickly subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their oppressors.

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

May those who hate Yahweh cringe in fear before him! May they be humiliated forever.

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

I would feed Israel with the finest wheat; I would satisfy you with honey out of the rock.”