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;

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 Raise a song, and sound the tambour, the pleasant harp with the lute.

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

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

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 a statute for Israel, an ordinance of the God of Jacob;

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

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

“I removed the burden from his shoulder; his hands were freed from holding the 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 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 testify unto thee; O Israel, if thou wouldest hearken unto me!

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

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

There must be no foreign god among you; you must not worship any foreign 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 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 hearkened not to my voice, and Israel would none of me.

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

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

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

13 Oh that my people had hearkened unto me, that 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 would soon have subdued their enemies, and turned my hand against their adversaries.

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

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

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

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

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