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!

For the leader. On the gittith. Of Asaph. Sing aloud to God our strength, shout for joy to the God of Jacob.

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

Raise a song, sound the timbrel, sweet lyre and harp.

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

On the new moon blow the horn, at the full moon, the day of our festival.

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

For this is a statute for Israel, a ruling 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.

a witness he set up in Joseph, when he marched against Egypt’s land, where he heard an unknown voice say:

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

“I removed from your shoulder the burden, and freed your hands 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)

At your call of distress I delivered you, from the thundercloud I answered you. At Meribah’s waters I tested you. (Selah)

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

“Listen, my people, to my warning, O Israel, if you would but listen!

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

There must not be a strange god among you, you must bow to no foreign 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 the Lord your God who brought you up out of Egypt. Open your mouth, that 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, Israel would have none of me.

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

So to their own hard hearts I left them, to follow their own devices.

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

O that my people would listen, that Israel would walk in my ways.

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

Soon would I humble their enemies, and turn my hand on their foes.

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

Those who hate the Lord would cringe before him in everlasting terror.

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

But you would I feed with the richest wheat, and with honey from the rock to your heart’s desire.”