Psalms 81

1 To the Chief Musician. On "the Gittith." Asaph’s. Shout ye for joy, unto God our strength, Sound the note of triumph, 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 melody, and strike the timbrel, The lyre so sweet, with the harp:

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

3 Blow, at the new moon, the horn, At the full moon, for the day of our sacred festival:

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, a statute to Israel, it is, A regulation, by the God of Jacob;

[Do that] because that is a law for [us] Israeli [people]; God commanded it for us descendants of Jacob.

5 A testimony in Joseph, he appointed it, When he went forth over the land of Egypt: A language I liked not, used I to hear;

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 took away, from the burden, his shoulder, his hands, from the clay, were set free.

“[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 In distress, thou didst cry, and I delivered thee, —I answered thee, within a hiding-place of thunder, I proved thee by the waters of Meribah. (Selah)

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 adjure thee, O Israel, if thou wilt hearken unto 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 There shall not be, within thee, a foreign GOD, —Neither shalt thou bow down to a strange GOD:

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

10 I, Yahweh, am thy God, Who brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, —Open wide thy mouth, that I may 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, hearkened not, unto my voice, Even, Israel, inclined not unto me.

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

12 So then I let them go on in the stubbornness of their own heart, They might walk in their own counsels!

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

13 If, my people, were hearkening unto me, [If, ] Israel, in my ways, would walk,

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

14 Right soon, their foes, would I subdue, And, against their adversaries, would I turn my hand:

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

15 The haters of Yahweh, should come cringing unto him, Then let their own good time be age-abiding!

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

16 Then would he feed them from the marrow of the wheat, Yea, out of the rock—with honey, would I satisfy thee.

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