Psalms 81

1 To him that excelleth upon Gittith. A Psalme committed to Asaph. Sing ioyfully vnto God our strength: sing loude vnto the God of Iaakob.

Sing [songs] to praise God, who enables us to be strong [when we fight our enemies]; shout joyfully to God, whom we (descendants of Jacob/Israeli people) [worship]!

2 Take the song and bring forth the timbrel, the pleasant harpe with the viole.

Start [playing] the music, and beat the tambourines, and play nice music on the harps and (lyres/other stringed instruments).

3 Blowe the trumpet in the newe moone, euen in the time appointed, at our feast day.

Blow the trumpets [during the festival to celebrate] each new moon and each time the moon is full and during our [other] festivals.

4 For this is a statute for Israel, and a Law of the God of Iaakob.

[Do that] because that is a law for [us] Israeli [people]; God commanded it for us descendants of Jacob.

5 Hee set this in Ioseph for a testimonie, when hee came out of the land of Egypt, where I heard a language, that I vnderstoode not.

He commanded us Israeli [people to obey it] when he punished [the people of] Egypt. I heard someone [MTY] whose voice I did not recognize, saying,

6 I haue withdrawen his shoulder from the burden, and his handes haue left the pots.

“[After the rulers of Egypt forced you Israelis to work as slaves], I took those [heavy] burdens off your backs, and I enabled you to lay down those [heavy] baskets [of bricks that you were carrying].

7 Thou calledst in affliction and I deliuered thee, and answered thee in the secret of the thunder: I prooued thee at the waters of Meribah. (Selah)

When you were [greatly] distressed, you called [out to me], and I rescued you; I answered you out of a thundercloud. [Later] I tested [whether you would trust me to give you] water [when you were in the desert] at Meribah.

8 Heare, O my people, and I wil protest vnto thee: O Israel, if thou wilt hearken vnto me,

[You who are] my people, listen while I warn you! I wish that you Israeli [people] would pay attention to what I [say to you]!

9 Let there bee no strange god in thee, neither worship thou any strange god.

You must not have any idols of other gods among you; you must never bow to worship any of them!

10 For I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide and I will fill it.

I am Yahweh, your God; It was [not any of those other gods] who brought you out of Egypt, I am the one who did it! [So] ask me what you want me to do for you [MTY], and I will do it.

11 But my people would not heare my voyce, and Israel would none of me.

But my people would not listen to me [SYN]; they would not obey me.

12 So I gaue them vp vnto the hardnesse of their heart, and they haue walked in their owne cousels.

So even though they were very stubborn, I allowed them to do whatever they wanted to do.

13 Oh that my people had hearkened vnto me, and Israel had walked in my wayes.

I wish that my people would listen to me, that the Israeli [people] would behave as I want them to do.

14 I would soone haue humbled their enemies, and turned mine hand against their aduersaries.

[If they did that], I would quickly defeat their enemies; I would strike/punish [all of] them [DOU].

15 The haters of the Lord should haue bene subiect vnto him, and their time should haue endured for euer.

[Then all] those who hate me would (cringe before/bow down to) me, and [then I] would punish them [MTY] forever.

16 And God would haue fedde them with the fatte of wheat, and with honie out of the rocke would I haue sufficed thee.

[But] I would give you [Israelis] very good wheat/grain, and I would fill your stomachs with wild honey.”