Psalms 81

1 For the Leader; upon the Gittith. A Psalm of Asaph. Sing aloud unto God our strength; shout unto the God of Jacob.

“For the leader of the music. On the Gittith. A psalm of Asaph.” Sing joyfully to God, our strength! Shout with gladness to the God of Jacob!

2 Take up the melody, and sound the timbrel, the sweet harp with the psaltery.

Raise a song, and strike the timbrel, The sweet-sounding harp, and the psaltery!

3 Blow the horn at the new moon, at the full moon for our feast-day.

Blow the trumpet at the new moon; At the full moon, also, on our festal day!

4 For it is a statute for Israel, an ordinance of the God of Jacob.

For this is a statute for Israel, A law of the God of Jacob;

5 He appointed it in Joseph for a testimony, when He went forth against the land of Egypt. The speech of one that I knew not did I hear:

He appointed it as a memorial in Joseph, When he went out of the land of Egypt, Where he heard a language which he knew not.

6 'I removed his shoulder from the burden; His hands were freed from the basket.

“I relieved [[said he]] thy shoulders from their burden; Thy hands were removed from the hod.

7 Thou didst call in trouble, and I rescued thee; I answered thee in the secret place of thunder; I proved thee at the waters of Meribah. (Selah)

Thou didst call in trouble, and I delivered thee; In the secret place of thunder I answered thee; I proved thee at the waters of Meribah. (Pause)

8 Hear, O My people, and I will admonish thee: O Israel, if thou wouldest hearken unto Me!

Hear, O my people! and I will admonish thee! O Israel! that thou wouldst hearken to me!

9 There shall no strange god be in thee; neither shalt thou worship any foreign god.

Let there be no strange god within thee, Nor worship thou any foreign god!

10 I am the LORD thy God, who brought thee up out of the land of Egypt; open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.

I Jehovah am thy God, Who brought thee out of the land of Egypt: Open wide thy mouth, and I will fill it!

11 But My people hearkened not to My voice; and Israel would none of Me.

But my people would not listen to my voice, And Israel would not hearken to me.

12 So I let them go after the stubbornness of their heart, that they might walk in their own counsels.

So I gave them up to the obstinacy of their hearts, And they walked according to their own devices.

13 Oh that My people would hearken unto Me, that Israel would walk in My ways!

“O that my people had hearkened to me! That Israel had walked in my ways!

14 I would soon subdue their enemies, and turn My hand against their adversaries.

Soon would I have brought low their enemies, And turned my hand against their adversaries.

15 The haters of the LORD should dwindle away before Him; and their punishment should endure for ever.

The haters of Jehovah should have become suppliants to them, And their prosperity should have endured for ever.

16 They should also be fed with the fat of wheat; and with honey out of the rock would I satisfy thee.'

With the finest of the wheat I would have fed them, And with honey out of the rock would I have satisfied them.”