Psalms 81

1 For the leader. On the gittith. Of Asaph. Sing aloud to God our strength, shout for joy 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 Raise a song, sound the timbrel, sweet lyre and harp.

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

3 On the new moon blow the horn, at the full moon, the day of our festival.

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

4 For this is a statute for Israel, a ruling of the God of Jacob,

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

5 a witness he set up in Joseph, when he marched against Egypt’s land, where he heard an unknown voice say:

He appointed it in Joseph for a testimony, when he went out over the land of Egypt, I heard a language that I did not know.

6 “I removed from your shoulder the burden, and freed your hands from the basket.

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

7 At your call of distress I delivered you, from the thundercloud I answered you. At Meribah’s waters I tested you. (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 “Listen, my people, to my warning, O Israel, if you would but listen!

"Hear, my people, and I will testify to you, Israel, if you would listen to me.

9 There must not be a strange god among you, you must bow to no 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 your mouth, that I fill it.

I am Jehovah, 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 did not listen to my voice, Israel would have none of me.

But my people did not listen to my voice. Israel desired none of me.

12 So to their own hard hearts I left them, 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 O that my people would listen, that Israel would walk in my ways.

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

14 Soon would I humble their enemies, and turn my hand on their foes.

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

15 Those who hate the Lord would cringe before him in everlasting terror.

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

16 But you would I feed with the richest wheat, and with honey from the rock to your heart’s desire.”

And he would have fed him with the finest wheat, and satisfied you with honey from the rock."