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;

2 Raise a melody, and strike the timbrel, The lyre so sweet, with the harp:

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

4 For, a statute to Israel, it is, A regulation, by the God 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;

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

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)

8 Hear, O my people, and I will adjure thee, O Israel, if thou wilt hearken unto me!

9 There shall not be, within thee, a foreign GOD, —Neither shalt thou bow down to a strange GOD:

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.

11 But my people, hearkened not, unto my voice, Even, Israel, inclined not unto me.

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

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

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

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

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