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 musician upon Gittith; by Assaph.” Sing aloud unto God our strength: shout joyfully unto the God of Jacob.

2 Take a psalm, and bring hither the timbrel: the pleasant psaltery with the harp.

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

3 Blow up the trumpet on the new moon, on the noted day of your solemnity.

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

4 For it is a commandment in Israel, and a judgment to the God of Jacob.

For this is a statute for Israel, an ordinance by 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.

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

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

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.

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, O my people, and I will testify to thee: O Israel, if thou wilt hearken to me,

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

9 There shall be no new god in thee: neither shalt thou adore a strange god.

There shall not be among thee a foreign God; nor shalt thou bow thyself down to any strange 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 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 heard not my voice: and Israel hearkened not to me.

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

12 So I let them go according to the desires of their heart: they shall walk in their own inventions.

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

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

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

14 I should soon have humbled their enemies, and laid my hand on them that troubled them.

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

15 The enemies of the Lord have lied to him: and their time shall be for ever.

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

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

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