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

Raise a song, and bring here the tambourine, the pleasant lyre 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, at the full moon, on 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 covenant, when he went out over the land of Egypt, I heard a language that I didn’t know.

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)

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 testify to you, O Israel, if you listen to me:

“Hear, my people, and I will testify to you, Israel, if you would 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 strange god in you, neither shall you 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 Yahweh, 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 did not listen to My voice, And Israel has not consented to Me.

But my people didn’t listen to my voice. Israel desired 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 hearts, 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 listen to 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 Yahweh would cringe before him, and their punishment would last forever.

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

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