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!

Sing [songs] to praise God, who enables us to be strong [when we fight our enemies]; shout joyfully to God, whom we (descendants of Jacob/Israeli people) [worship]!

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

Start [playing] the music, and beat the tambourines, and play nice music on the harps and (lyres/other stringed instruments).

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

Blow the trumpets [during the festival to celebrate] each new moon and each time the moon is full and during our [other] festivals.

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

[Do that] because that is a law for [us] Israeli [people]; God commanded it for us descendants 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 commanded us Israeli [people to obey it] when he punished [the people of] Egypt. I heard someone [MTY] whose voice I did not recognize, saying,

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

“[After the rulers of Egypt forced you Israelis to work as slaves], I took those [heavy] burdens off your backs, and I enabled you to lay down those [heavy] baskets [of bricks that you were carrying].

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)

When you were [greatly] distressed, you called [out to me], and I rescued you; I answered you out of a thundercloud. [Later] I tested [whether you would trust me to give you] water [when you were in the desert] at Meribah.

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

[You who are] my people, listen while I warn you! I wish that you Israeli [people] would pay attention to what I [say to you]!

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

You must not have any idols of other gods among you; you must never bow to worship any of them!

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 Yahweh, your God; It was [not any of those other gods] who brought you out of Egypt, I am the one who did it! [So] ask me what you want me to do for you [MTY], and I will do it.

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

But my people would not listen to me [SYN]; they would not obey me.

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

So even though they were very stubborn, I allowed them to do whatever they wanted to do.

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

I wish that my people would listen to me, that the Israeli [people] would behave as I want them to do.

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

[If they did that], I would quickly defeat their enemies; I would strike/punish [all of] them [DOU].

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

[Then all] those who hate me would (cringe before/bow down to) me, and [then I] would punish them [MTY] forever.

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] I would give you [Israelis] very good wheat/grain, and I would fill your stomachs with wild honey.”