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 Overseer. — 'On the Gittith.' By Asaph. Cry aloud to God our strength, Shout to the God of Jacob.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

From the burden his shoulder I turned aside, His hands from the basket pass over.

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.

In distress thou hast called and I deliver thee, I answer thee in the secret place of thunder, I try thee by 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,

Hear, O My people, and I testify to thee, O Israel, if thou dost hearken to me:

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

There is not in thee a strange god, And thou bowest not thyself to a strange 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] Jehovah thy God, Who bringeth thee up out of the land of Egypt. Enlarge thy mouth, and I fill it.

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

But, My people hearkened not to My voice, And Israel hath not consented to Me.

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

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

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

O that My people were hearkening to Me, Israel in My ways would walk.

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

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

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

Those hating Jehovah feign obedience to Him, But their time is — to the age.

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

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