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.

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

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

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

Blow the trumpet on the day of the new moon, on the day of the full moon, when our feast day begins.

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

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

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

“I removed the burden from his shoulder; his hands were freed from holding the 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 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, O my people, and I will testify to thee: O Israel, if thou wilt hearken to me,

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

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

There must be no foreign god among you; you must not worship any foreign 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 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 heard not my voice: and Israel hearkened not to me.

But my people did not listen to my words; Israel did not obey 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 over to their own stubborn way so that they might do what seemed right to them.

13 If my people had heard me: if 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 should soon have humbled their enemies, and laid my hand on them that troubled them.

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

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

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

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

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