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 Chief Musician. On an instrument of Gath. By Asaph. Sing aloud to God, our strength! Make a joyful shout to the God of Jacob!

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

Raise a song, and bring here the tambourine, the pleasant lyre with the harp.

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

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

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)

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)

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

“Hear, my people, and I will testify to you, Israel, if you would listen to me!

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

There shall be no strange god in you, neither shall you 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, your God, who brought you up 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 my voice. Israel desired 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 hearts, 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 listen to 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 would cringe before him, and their punishment would last forever.

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

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