Psalms 81

1 For the Chief Musician. On an instrument of Gath. By Asaph. Sing aloud to God, our strength! Make a joyful shout to 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 Raise a song, and bring here the tambourine, the pleasant lyre with the harp.

Take up the melody, playing on an instrument of music, even on corded instruments.

3 Blow the trumpet at the New Moon, at the full moon, on our 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 a covenant, when he went out over the land of Egypt, I heard a language that I didn’t know.

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 You called in trouble, and I delivered you. I answered you in the secret place of thunder. I tested you 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, my people, and I will testify to you, Israel, if you would listen to 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 be no strange god in you, neither shall you worship any foreign god.

There is to be no strange god among you; you are not to give worship to any other god.

10 I am Yahweh, your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your 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 didn’t listen to my voice. Israel desired 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 hearts, 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 listen to me, that Israel would walk in my ways!

If only my people would give ear to me, walking in my ways!

14 I would 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 Yahweh would cringe before him, and their punishment would last forever.

The haters of the Lord would be broken, and their destruction would be eternal.

16 But he would have also fed them with the finest of the wheat. I will satisfy you with honey out of the rock.”

I would give them the best grain for food; you would be full of honey from the rock.