Psalms 81

1 To the chief Musician upon Gittith, [A Psalm] of Asaph. Sing aloud to God our strength: make a joyful noise to the God of Jacob.

For the choirmaster. According to Gittith. Of Asaph. Sing for joy to God our strength; make a joyful noise to the God of Jacob.

2 Take a psalm, and bring hither the timbrel, the pleasant harp with the psaltery.

Lift up a song, strike the tambourine, play the sweet-sounding harp and lyre.

3 Blow the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast day.

Sound the ram’s horn at the New Moon, and at the full moon on the day of our Feast.

4 For this [was] a statute for Israel, [and] a law of the God of Jacob.

For this is a statute for Israel, an ordinance of the God of Jacob.

5 This he ordained in Joseph [for] a testimony, when he went out through the land of Egypt: [where] I heard a language [that] I understood not.

He ordained it as a testimony for Joseph when he went out over the land of Egypt, where I heard an unfamiliar language:

6 I removed his shoulder from the burden: his hands were delivered from the pots.

“I relieved his shoulder of the burden; his hands were freed from the basket.

7 Thou calledst in trouble, and I delivered thee; I answered thee in the secret place of thunder: I proved thee at the waters of Meribah. (Selah)

You called out in distress, and I rescued you; I answered you from the cloud of thunder; I tested you at the waters of Meribah.

8 Hear, O my people, and I will testify to thee; O Israel, if thou wilt hearken to me;

Hear, O My people, and I will warn you: O Israel, if only you would listen to Me!

9 There shall no strange god be in thee; neither shalt thou worship any strange god.

There must be no strange god among you, nor shall you bow to a foreign god.

10 I [am] the LORD thy God who brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.

I am the LORD your God, who brought you up out of Egypt. Open wide your mouth, and I will fill it.

11 But my people would not hearken to my voice; and Israel would not obey me.

But My people would not listen to Me, and Israel would not obey Me.

12 So I gave them up to their own hearts lust: [and] they walked in their own counsels.

So I gave them up to their stubborn hearts to follow their own devices.

13 O that my people had hearkened to me, [and] Israel had walked in my ways!

If only My people would listen to Me, if Israel would follow My ways,

14 I should soon have subdued their enemies, and turned my hand against their adversaries.

how soon I would subdue their enemies and turn My hand against their foes!

15 The haters of the LORD should have submitted themselves to him: and their time should have endured for ever.

Those who hate the LORD would feign obedience, and their doom would last forever.

16 He would have fed them also with the finest of the wheat: and with honey out of the rock I should have satisfied thee.

But I would feed you the finest wheat; with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”