Psalms 81

1 To the chief Musician. Upon the Gittith. [A Psalm] of Asaph. Sing ye joyously unto God our strength, shout aloud unto 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 Raise a song, and sound the tambour, the pleasant harp with the lute.

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

3 Blow the trumpet at the new moon, at the set time, on our feast day:

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

4 For this is a statute for Israel, an ordinance of the God of Jacob;

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

5 He ordained it in Joseph [for] a testimony, when he went forth over the land of Egypt, [where] I heard a language that I knew 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 I removed his shoulder from the burden; his hands were freed from the basket.

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

7 Thou calledst in trouble, and I delivered thee; I answered thee in the secret place of thunder; I proved thee at the waters of Meribah. (Selah)

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 testify unto thee; O Israel, if thou wouldest hearken unto me!

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

9 There shall no strange god be in thee, neither shalt thou worship any foreign god.

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

10 I am Jehovah thy God, that brought thee up 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 would none of me.

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

12 So I gave them up unto their own hearts' stubbornness: they walked after their own counsels.

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

13 Oh that my people had hearkened unto me, that Israel had walked in my ways!

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

14 I would soon have subdued their enemies, and turned my hand against their adversaries.

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

15 The haters of Jehovah would have come cringing unto him; but their time would have been for ever.

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

16 And he would have fed them with the finest of wheat; yea, with honey out of the rock would I have satisfied thee.

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