Psalms 81
1 For the Chief Musician; set to the Gittith. A Psalm of Asaph. Sing aloud unto God our strength: make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob.
To the chief music-maker; put to the Gittith. Of Asaph. Make a song to God our strength: make a glad cry to the God of Jacob.
2 Take up the psalm, and bring hither the timbrel, the pleasant harp with the psaltery.
Take up the melody, playing on an instrument of music, even on corded instruments.
3 Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, at the full moon, on our solemn feast day.
Let the horn be sounded in the time of the new moon, at the full moon, on our holy feast-day:
4 For it is a statute for Israel, an ordinance of the God of Jacob.
For this is a rule for Israel, and a law of the God of Jacob.
5 He appointed it in Joseph for testimony, when he went out over the land of Egypt: [where] I heard a language that I knew not.
He gave it to Joseph as a witness, when he went out over the land of Egypt; then the words of a strange tongue were sounding in my ears.
6 I removed his shoulder from the burden: his hands were freed from the basket.
I took the weight from his back; his hands were made free from the baskets.
7 Thou calledst in trouble, and I answered thee in the secret place of thunder; I proved thee at the waters of Meribah. (Selah)
You gave a cry in your trouble, and I made you free; I gave you an answer in the secret place of the thunder; I put you to the test at the waters of Meribah. (Selah)
8 Hear, O my people, and I will testify unto thee: O Israel, if thou wouldest hearken unto me!
Give ear, O my people, and I will give you my word, O Israel, if you will only do as I say!
9 There shall no strange god be in thee; neither shalt thou worship any strange god.
There is to be no strange god among you; you are not to give worship to any other god.
10 I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.
I am the Lord your God, who took you up from the land of Egypt: let your mouth be open wide, so that I may give you food.
11 But my people hearkened not to my voice; and Israel would none of me.
But my people did not give ear to my voice; Israel would have nothing to do with me.
12 So I let them go after the stubbornness of their heart, that they might walk in their own counsels.
So I gave them up to the desires of their hearts; that they might go after their evil purposes.
13 Oh that my people would hearken unto me, that Israel would walk in my ways!
If only my people would give ear to me, walking in my ways!
14 I should soon subdue their enemies, and turn my hand against their adversaries.
I would quickly overcome their haters: my hand would be turned against those who make war on them.
15 The haters of the LORD should submit themselves unto him: but their time should endure for ever.
The haters of the Lord would be broken, and their destruction would be eternal.
16 He should feed them also with the finest of the wheat: and with honey out of the rock should I satisfy thee.
I would give them the best grain for food; you would be full of honey from the rock.
