Psalms 81

1 Unto the end, for the winepresses, a psalm for Asaph himself. Rejoice to God our helper: sing aloud 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 a psalm, and bring hither the timbrel: the pleasant psaltery with the harp.

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

3 Blow up the trumpet on the new moon, on the noted 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 commandment in Israel, and a judgment to the God of Jacob.

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

5 He ordained it for a testimony in Joseph, when he came out of the land of Egypt: he heard a tongue which he knew not.

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 removed his back from the burdens: his hands had served in baskets.

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

7 Thou calledst upon me in affliction, and I delivered thee: I heard thee in the secret place of tempest: I proved thee at the 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 Hear, O my people, and I will testify to thee: O Israel, if thou wilt hearken 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 There shall be no new god in thee: neither shalt thou adore a strange 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 thy God, who brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, 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 heard not my voice: and Israel hearkened not to me.

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

12 So I let them go according to the desires of their heart: they shall walk in 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 should soon have humbled their enemies, and laid my hand on them that 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 shall be for ever.

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

16 And he fed them with the fat of wheat, and filled them with honey out of the rock.

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