Psalms 81

1 To the chief Musician. Upon the Gittith. [A Psalm] of Asaph. Sing ye joyously unto God our strength, shout aloud unto 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, and sound the tambour, the pleasant harp with the lute.

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

3 Blow the trumpet at the new moon, at the set time, on our feast day:

Blow the trumpet 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 in Joseph [for] a testimony, when he went forth over the land of Egypt, [where] I heard a language that I knew not.

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 removed his shoulder from the burden; his hands were freed from the basket.

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

7 Thou calledst in trouble, and I delivered thee; I answered thee in the secret place of thunder; I proved thee at 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, my people, and I will testify unto thee; O Israel, if thou wouldest hearken unto me!

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

9 There shall no strange god be in thee, neither shalt thou worship any foreign god.

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

10 I am Jehovah thy God, that brought thee up out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.

I am Yahweh, 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 would none of me.

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

12 So I gave them up unto their own hearts' stubbornness: they walked after their own counsels.

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

13 Oh that my people had hearkened unto me, that Israel had walked in my ways!

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

14 I would soon have subdued their enemies, and turned my hand against their adversaries.

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

15 The haters of Jehovah would have come cringing unto him; but their time would have been for ever.

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

16 And he would have fed them with the finest of wheat; yea, with honey out of the rock would I have satisfied thee.

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