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 Leader; upon the Gittith. A Psalm of Asaph. Sing aloud unto God our strength; shout unto the God of Jacob.
2 Lift up a song, and give out a timbrel, A pleasant harp with psaltery.
Take up the melody, and sound the timbrel, the sweet harp with the psaltery.
3 Blow in the month a trumpet, In the new moon, at the day of our festival,
Blow the horn at the new moon, at the full moon for our feast-day.
4 For a statute to Israel it [is], An ordinance of the God of Jacob.
For it is a statute for Israel, an ordinance 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.
He appointed it in Joseph for a testimony, when He went forth against the land of Egypt. The speech of one that I knew not did I hear:
6 From the burden his shoulder I turned aside, His hands from the basket pass over.
'I removed his shoulder from the burden; His hands were freed from the basket.
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)
Thou didst call in trouble, and I rescued thee; I answered thee in the secret place of thunder; I proved thee at the waters of Meribah. (Selah)
8 Hear, O My people, and I testify to thee, O Israel, if thou dost hearken to me:
Hear, O My people, and I will admonish thee: O Israel, if thou wouldest hearken unto Me!
9 There is not in thee a strange god, And thou bowest not thyself to a strange god.
There shall no strange god be in thee; neither shalt thou worship any foreign god.
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 thy God, who brought thee up out of the land of Egypt; open thy 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 hearkened not to My voice; and Israel would none of Me.
12 And I send them away in the enmity of their heart, They walk in their own counsels.
So I let them go after the stubbornness of their heart, that they might walk in their own counsels.
13 O that My people were hearkening to Me, Israel in My ways would walk.
Oh that My people would hearken unto Me, that Israel would walk in My ways!
14 As a little thing their enemies I cause to bow, And against their adversaries I turn back My hand,
I would soon subdue their enemies, and turn My hand against their adversaries.
15 Those hating Jehovah feign obedience to Him, But their time is — to the age.
The haters of the LORD should dwindle away before Him; and their punishment should endure for ever.
16 He causeth him to eat of the fat of wheat, And [with] honey from a rock I satisfy thee!
They should also be fed with the fat of wheat; and with honey out of the rock would I satisfy thee.'
