Psalms 81

1 [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.

Unto the end, for the winepresses, a psalm for Asaph himself. Rejoice to God our helper: sing aloud to the God of Jacob.

2 Raise a song, and bring here the tambourine, the pleasant lyre with the harp.

Take a psalm, and bring hither the timbrel: the pleasant psaltery with the harp.

3 Blow the trumpet at the New Moon, at the full moon, on our feast day.

Blow up the trumpet on the new moon, on the noted day of your solemnity.

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

For it is a commandment in Israel, and a judgment to the God of Jacob.

5 He appointed it in Joseph for a testimony, when he went out over the land of Egypt, I heard a language that I did not know.

He ordained it for a testimony in Joseph, when he came out of the land of Egypt: he heard a tongue which he knew not.

6 "I removed his shoulder from the burden. His hands were freed from the basket.

He removed his back from the burdens: his hands had served in baskets.

7 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)

Thou calledst upon me in affliction, and I delivered thee: I heard thee in the secret place of tempest: I proved thee at the waters of contradiction.

8 "Hear, my people, and I will testify to you, Israel, if you would listen to me.

Hear, O my people, and I will testify to thee: O Israel, if thou wilt hearken to me,

9 There shall be no strange god in you, neither shall you worship any foreign god.

There shall be no new god in thee: neither shalt thou adore a strange god.

10 I am Jehovah, your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.

For I am the Lord thy God, who brought thee 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. Israel desired none of me.

But my people heard not my voice: and Israel hearkened not to me.

12 So I let them go after the stubbornness of their hearts, that they might walk in their own counsels.

So I let them go according to the desires of their heart: they shall walk in their own inventions.

13 Oh that my people would listen to me, that Israel would walk in my ways.

If my people had heard me: if Israel had walked in my ways:

14 I would soon subdue their enemies, and turn my hand against their adversaries.

I should soon have humbled their enemies, and laid my hand on them that troubled them.

15 The haters of Jehovah would cringe before him, and their punishment would last forever.

The enemies of the Lord have lied to him: and their time shall be for ever.

16 And he would have fed him with the finest wheat, and satisfied you with honey from the rock."

And he fed them with the fat of wheat, and filled them with honey out of the rock.