Psalms 81
1 TO THE OVERSEER. ON THE GITTITH. BY ASAPH. Cry aloud to God our strength, Shout to the God of Jacob.
For the Leader; upon the Gittith. A Psalm of Asaph. Sing aloud unto God our strength; shout unto the God of Jacob.
2 Lift up a song, and give out a timbrel, A pleasant harp with stringed instrument.
Take up the melody, and sound the timbrel, the sweet harp with the psaltery.
3 Blow a horn in the month, In the new moon, at the day of our festival,
Blow the horn at the new moon, at the full moon for our feast-day.
4 For it [is] a statute to Israel, An ordinance of the God of Jacob.
For it is a statute for Israel, an ordinance of the God of Jacob.
5 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.
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:
6 I turned aside his shoulder from the burden, His hands pass over from the basket.
'I removed his shoulder from the burden; His hands were freed from the basket.
7 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)
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)
8 Hear, O My people, and I testify to you, O Israel, if you listen to me:
Hear, O My people, and I will admonish thee: O Israel, if thou wouldest hearken unto Me!
9 There is not in you a strange god, And you do not bow yourself to a strange god.
There shall no strange god be in thee; neither shalt thou worship any foreign god.
10 I [am] your God YHWH, Who brings you up out of the land of Egypt. Enlarge your mouth, and I fill it.
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.
11 But My people did not listen to My voice, And Israel has not consented to Me.
But My people hearkened not to My voice; and Israel would none of Me.
12 And I send them away in the enmity of their heart, They walk in their own counsels.
So I let them go after the stubbornness of their heart, that they might walk in their own counsels.
13 O that My people were listening to Me, Israel would walk in My ways.
Oh that My people would hearken unto Me, that Israel would walk in My ways!
14 As a little thing I cause their enemies to bow, And I turn back My hand against their adversaries,
I would soon subdue their enemies, and turn My hand against their adversaries.
15 Those hating YHWH should have feigned [obedience] to Him, And their time would last for all time.
The haters of the LORD should dwindle away before Him; and their punishment should endure for ever.
16 He causes him to eat of the fat of wheat, And I satisfy you [with] honey from a rock!
They should also be fed with the fat of wheat; and with honey out of the rock would I satisfy thee.'
