Psalms 81

1 “For the leader of the music. On the Gittith. A psalm of Asaph.” Sing joyfully to God, our strength! Shout with gladness to the God of Jacob!

TO THE OVERSEER. ON THE GITTITH. BY ASAPH. Cry aloud to God our strength, Shout to the God of Jacob.

2 Raise a song, and strike the timbrel, The sweet-sounding harp, and the psaltery!

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

3 Blow the trumpet at the new moon; At the full moon, also, on our festal day!

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

4 For this is a statute for Israel, A law of the God of Jacob;

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

5 He appointed it as a memorial in Joseph, When he went out of the land of Egypt, Where he heard a language which he knew not.

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.

6 “I relieved [[said he]] thy shoulders from their burden; Thy hands were removed from the hod.

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

7 Thou didst call in trouble, and I delivered thee; In the secret place of thunder I answered thee; I proved thee at the waters of Meribah. (Pause)

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)

8 Hear, O my people! and I will admonish thee! O Israel! that thou wouldst hearken to me!

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

9 Let there be no strange god within thee, Nor worship thou any foreign god!

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

10 I Jehovah am thy God, Who brought thee out of the land of Egypt: Open wide thy mouth, and I will fill it!

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

11 But my people would not listen to my voice, And Israel would not hearken to me.

But My people did not listen to My voice, And Israel has not consented to Me.

12 So I gave them up to the obstinacy of their hearts, And they walked according to their own devices.

And I send them away in the enmity of their heart, They walk in their own counsels.

13 “O that my people had hearkened to me! That Israel had walked in my ways!

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

14 Soon would I have brought low their enemies, And turned my hand against their adversaries.

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

15 The haters of Jehovah should have become suppliants to them, And their prosperity should have endured for ever.

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

16 With the finest of the wheat I would have fed them, And with honey out of the rock would I have satisfied them.”

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