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.

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

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

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

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 rule for Israel, a regulation of the God of Jacob.

For it is a statute for Israel, a decree given by 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:

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

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

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)

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

Listen, my people, for I will warn you, Israel, if you would only 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 must be no foreign god among you; you must not worship any foreign 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 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 didn't listen to me. Israel didn't want anything to do with me.

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

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

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

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

Oh, that my people would listen to me; oh, that my people would walk in my paths.

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

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

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

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

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

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