Psalms 81

1 To the Overseer. — 'On the Gittith.' By Asaph. Cry aloud to God our strength, Shout to the God of Jacob.

For the music director. On the gittith. A psalm of Asaph. Sing aloud to God our strength; shout for joy to the God of Jacob.

2 Lift up a song, and give out a timbrel, A pleasant harp with psaltery.

Start the song! Play the tambourine, sweet-sounding lyre, and harp.

3 Blow in the month a trumpet, In the new moon, at the day of our festival,

Blow the trumpet at the new moon, and at full moon, to begin our festivals,

4 For a statute to Israel it [is], An ordinance of the God of Jacob.

for this is a rule for Israel, a regulation of the God of Jacob.

5 A testimony on Joseph He hath placed it, In his going forth over the land of Egypt. A lip, I have not known — I hear.

God made this statute for Joseph when he opposed the land of Egypt. I heard a voice I didn't know, saying:

6 From the burden his shoulder I turned aside, His hands from the basket pass over.

“I took the load from your shoulders; I freed your hands from carrying heavy baskets.

7 In distress thou hast called and I deliver thee, I answer thee in the secret place of thunder, I try thee by the waters of Meribah. (Selah)

In your suffering you cried out to me, and I saved you. I answered you from the thundercloud. I tested you at the waters of Meribah. (Selah)

8 Hear, O My people, and I testify to thee, O Israel, if thou dost hearken to me:

My people, listen to my warnings! Israel, please listen to me!

9 There is not in thee a strange god, And thou bowest not thyself to a strange god.

There must not be a strange god among you; you must never bow down to foreign gods and worship them.

10 I [am] Jehovah thy God, Who bringeth thee up out of the land of Egypt. Enlarge thy mouth, and I fill it.

I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide and I will fill it.

11 But, My people hearkened not to My voice, And Israel hath not consented to Me.

But my people didn't listen to me. Israel didn't want anything to do with me.

12 And I send them away in the enmity of their heart, They walk in their own counsels.

So I sent them away to follow their stubborn thinking, living as they chose.

13 O that My people were hearkening to Me, Israel in My ways would walk.

If only my people would listen to me; if only Israel would follow my ways!

14 As a little thing their enemies I cause to bow, And against their adversaries I turn back My hand,

It wouldn't take me long to conquer their enemies, to strike down their foes.

15 Those hating Jehovah feign obedience to Him, But their time is — to the age.

Those who hate the Lord would cringe before him, forever doomed.

16 He causeth him to eat of the fat of wheat, And [with] honey from a rock I satisfy thee!

But I would feed you the best wheat and satisfy you with honey from the rock.”