Psalms 81

1 For the choirmaster. According to Gittith. Of Asaph. Sing for joy to God our strength; make a joyful noise 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, strike the tambourine, play the sweet-sounding harp and lyre.

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

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

Blow the shofar at the New Moon, at the full moon, on our feast day.

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

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

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

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

“I removed his shoulder from the burden. His hands were freed from the basket.

7 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.

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 will warn you: O Israel, if only you would listen to Me!

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

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

There shall be no strange god in you, neither shall you worship any foreign god.

10 I am the LORD your God, who brought you up out of Egypt. Open wide your mouth, and I will 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 would not listen to Me, and Israel would not obey Me.

But my people didn’t listen to my voice. Israel desired none of me.

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

So I let them go after the stubbornness of their hearts, that they might walk in their own counsels.

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

Oh that my people would listen to me, that Israel would walk in my ways!

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

I would soon subdue their enemies, and turn my hand against their adversaries.

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

The haters of the LORD would cringe before him, and their punishment would last forever.

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

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