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 end, a Psalm for Asaph, concerning the wine presses. Rejoice you in God our helper; shout aloud to the God of Jacob.

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

Take a psalm, and produce the timbrel, the pleasant lute with the harp.

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

Blow the trumpet at the new moon, in the glorious day of your feast.

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

For [this] is an ordinance for Israel, and a statute 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 made it [to be] a testimony in Joseph, when he came forth out of the land of Egypt: he heard a language which he understood not.

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

He removed his back from burdens: his hands slaved in making the baskets.

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)

You did call upon me in trouble, and I delivered you; I heard you in the secret place of the storm: I proved you at the water of Strife. (Pause)

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

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

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

there shall be no new god in you; neither shall you worship a strange god.

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

For I am the Lord your God, that brought you out of the land of Egypt: open your 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 listened not to my voice; and Israel gave no heed to 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 ways of their own hearts: they will go on in their own ways.

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

If my people had listened to me, if Israel had walked in my ways,

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

I should have put down their enemies very quickly, and should have laid my hand upon those that afflicted them.

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

The Lord's enemies [should have] lied to him: but their time shall be for ever.

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

And he fed them with the fat of wheat; and satisfied them with honey out of the rock.