Psalms 81

1 To the chief Musician upon Gittith, [A Psalm] of Asaph. Sing aloud unto God our strength: make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob.

For the Chief Musician. On an instrument of Gath. By Asaph. Sing aloud to God, our strength! Make a joyful shout to the God of Jacob!

2 Take a psalm, and bring hither the timbrel, the pleasant harp with the psaltery.

Raise a song, and bring here the tambourine, the pleasant lyre with the harp.

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

Blow the trumpet at the New Moon, at the full moon, on our feast day.

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

For it is a statute for Israel, an ordinance of 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.

He appointed it in Joseph for a covenant, when he went out over the land of Egypt, I heard a language that I didn’t know.

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

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

7 Thou calledst in trouble, and I delivered thee; I answered thee in the secret place of thunder: I proved thee at the waters of Meribah. (Selah)

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

8 Hear, O my people, and I will testify unto thee: O Israel, if thou wilt hearken unto me;

“Hear, my people, and I will testify to you, Israel, if you would listen to me!

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

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

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

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

But my people didn’t listen to my voice. Israel desired none of me.

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

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

13 Oh that my people had hearkened unto me, [and] Israel had walked in my ways!

Oh that my people would listen to me, that Israel would walk in my ways!

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

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

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

The haters of the LORD would cringe before him, and their punishment would last forever.

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

But he would have also fed them with the finest of the wheat. I will satisfy you with honey out of the rock.”