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!

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

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

4 For this is a statute for Israel, A law 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.

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

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)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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