Psalms 81

1 For the music director. On the gittith. A psalm of Asaph. Sing aloud to God our strength; shout for joy to the God of Jacob.

Sing aloud to God our strength: make a joyful noise to the God of Jacob.

2 Start the song! Play the tambourine, sweet-sounding lyre, and harp.

Take a psalm, and bring here the tambourine, the pleasant harp with the psaltery.

3 Blow the trumpet at the new moon, and at full moon, to begin our festivals,

Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast day.

4 for this is a rule for Israel, a regulation of the God of Jacob.

For this was a statute for Israel, and a law of the God of Jacob.

5 God made this statute for Joseph when he opposed the land of Egypt. I heard a voice I didn't know, saying:

This he ordained in Joseph for a testimony, when he went out through the land of Egypt: where I heard a language that I understood not.

6 “I took the load from your shoulders; I freed your hands from carrying heavy baskets.

I removed his shoulder from the burden: his hands were delivered from the pots.

7 In your suffering you cried out to me, and I saved you. I answered you from the thundercloud. I tested you at the waters of Meribah. (Selah)

You called in trouble, and I delivered you; I answered you in the secret place of thunder: I proved you at the waters of Meribah. (Selah)

8 My people, listen to my warnings! Israel, please listen to me!

Hear, O my people, and I will testify to you: O Israel, if you will listen to me;

9 There must not be a strange god among you; you must never bow down to foreign gods and worship them.

There shall no strange god be in you; neither shall you worship any strange god.

10 I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide and I will fill it.

I am the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt: open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.

11 But my people didn't listen to me. Israel didn't want anything to do with me.

But my people would not listen to my voice; and Israel would none of me.

12 So I sent them away to follow their stubborn thinking, living as they chose.

So I gave them up to their own hearts’ lust: and they walked in their own counsels.

13 If only my people would listen to me; if only Israel would follow my ways!

Oh that my people had listened to me, and Israel had walked in my ways!

14 It wouldn't take me long to conquer their enemies, to strike down their foes.

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

15 Those who hate the Lord would cringe before him, forever doomed.

The haters of the LORD should have submitted themselves to him: but their time should have endured for ever.

16 But I would feed you the best wheat and satisfy you with honey from the rock.”

He should have fed them also with the finest of the wheat: and with honey out of the rock should I have satisfied you.