Psalms 81

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

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

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

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

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, an ordinance by the God of Jacob.

[Do that] because that is a law for [us] Israeli [people]; God commanded it for us descendants 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 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 removed from the burden his shoulder: his hands left behind the burden-basket.

“[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 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)

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 Hear, O my people, and I will give warning unto thee; O Israel, if thou wouldst but hearken unto 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 There shall not be among thee a foreign God; nor shalt thou bow thyself down to any strange God.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[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 offer flattery unto him; but their time should endure for ever.

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

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

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