Psalms 81

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

TO THE OVERSEER. ON THE GITTITH. BY ASAPH. Cry aloud to God our strength, Shout to the God of Jacob.

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

Lift up a song, and give out a timbrel, A pleasant harp with stringed instrument.

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

Blow a horn in the month, In the new moon, at the day of our festival,

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

For it [is] a statute to Israel, An ordinance of the God of Jacob.

5 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.

He has placed it—a testimony on Joseph, In his going forth over the land of Egypt. A lip, I have not known—I hear.

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

I turned aside his shoulder from the burden, His hands pass over from the basket.

7 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)

In distress you have called and I deliver you, I answer you in the secret place of thunder, I try you by the waters of Meribah. (Selah)

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

Hear, O My people, and I testify to you, O Israel, if you listen to me:

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

There is not in you a strange god, And you do not bow yourself to a strange god.

10 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.

I [am] your God YHWH, Who brings you up out of the land of Egypt. Enlarge your mouth, and I fill it.

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

But My people did not listen to My voice, And Israel has not consented to Me.

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

And I send them away in the enmity of their heart, They walk in their own counsels.

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

O that My people were listening to Me, Israel would walk in My ways.

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

As a little thing I cause their enemies to bow, And I turn back My hand against their adversaries,

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

Those hating YHWH should have feigned [obedience] to Him, And their time would last for all time.

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

He causes him to eat of the fat of wheat, And I satisfy you [with] honey from a rock!