Psalms 81

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

“To the chief musician upon Gittith; by Assaph.” Sing aloud unto God our strength: shout joyfully unto the God of Jacob.

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

Lift up psalm, and bring hither the timbrel, the pleasant harp with the psaltery.

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

Blow on the new moon the cornet, at the time appointed, on the day of our feast.

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

For this is a statute for Israel, an ordinance by the God of Jacob.

5 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.

As a testimony in Joseph did he ordain it, when he went out over the land of Egypt. The language of one I had not known did I hear.

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

I removed from the burden his shoulder: his hands left behind the burden-basket.

7 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)

In distress thou didst call, and I delivered thee; I answered thee in the secret of the thunder: I proved thee at the waters of Meribah. (Selah)

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

Hear, O my people, and I will give warning unto thee; O Israel, if thou wouldst but hearken unto me!

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

There shall not be among thee a foreign God; nor shalt thou bow thyself down to any strange God.

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

I am the Lord thy God, who have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt: open wide thy mouth, and I will fill it.

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

But my people did not hearken to my voice; and Israel was not willing [to follow] me.

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

So I let them go in the stubbornness of their own hearts: and they walked in their own counsels.

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

Oh that my people would hearken unto me, that Israel would walk in my ways!

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

In a little while would I subdue their enemies, and against their adversaries would I turn my hand.

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

The haters of the Lord should offer flattery unto him; but their time should endure for ever.

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

And he would feed him with the best of wheat: and out of the rock would I satisfy thee with honey.