Psalms 81

1 Unto the end. For the wine and oil presses. A Psalm of Asaph himself. Exult before God our helper. Sing joyfully to the God of Jacob.

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.

2 Take up a psalm, and bring forth the timbrel: a pleasing Psalter with stringed instruments.

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

3 Sound the trumpet at the new moon, on the noteworthy day of your solemnity,

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

4 for it is a precept in Israel and a judgment for the God of Jacob.

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

5 He set it as a testimony with Joseph, when he went out of the land of Egypt. He heard a tongue that he did not know.

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.

6 He turned the burdens away from his back. His hands had been a slave to baskets.

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

7 You called upon me in tribulation, and I freed you. I heard you within the hidden tempest. I tested you with waters of contradiction.

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)

8 My people, listen and I will call you to testify. If, O Israel, you will pay heed to me,

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

9 then there will be no new god among you, nor will you adore a foreign god.

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

10 For I am the Lord your God, who led you out of the land of Egypt. Widen your mouth, and I will fill it.

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.

11 But my people did not hear my voice, and Israel was not attentive to me.

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

12 And so, I sent them away, according to the desires of their heart. They will go forth according to their own inventions.

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

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

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

14 I would have humbled their enemies, as if it were nothing, and I would have sent my hand upon those who troubled them.

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

15 The enemies of the Lord have lied to him, and their time will come, in every age.

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

16 And he fed them from the fat of the grain, and he saturated them with honey from the rock.

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