Psalms 81

1 Unto the end, for the winepresses, a psalm for Asaph himself. Rejoice to God our helper: sing aloud to the God of Jacob.

To the Chief Musician. On "the Gittith." Asaph’s. Shout ye for joy, unto God our strength, Sound the note of triumph, to the God of Jacob;

2 Take a psalm, and bring hither the timbrel: the pleasant psaltery with the harp.

Raise a melody, and strike the timbrel, The lyre so sweet, with the harp:

3 Blow up the trumpet on the new moon, on the noted day of your solemnity.

Blow, at the new moon, the horn, At the full moon, for the day of our sacred festival:

4 For it is a commandment in Israel, and a judgment to the God of Jacob.

For, a statute to Israel, it is, A regulation, by the God of Jacob;

5 He ordained it for a testimony in Joseph, when he came out of the land of Egypt: he heard a tongue which he knew not.

A testimony in Joseph, he appointed it, When he went forth over the land of Egypt: A language I liked not, used I to hear;

6 He removed his back from the burdens: his hands had served in baskets.

I took away, from the burden, his shoulder, his hands, from the clay, were set free.

7 Thou calledst upon me in affliction, and I delivered thee: I heard thee in the secret place of tempest: I proved thee at the waters of contradiction.

In distress, thou didst cry, and I delivered thee, —I answered thee, within a hiding-place of thunder, I proved thee by the waters of Meribah. (Selah)

8 Hear, O my people, and I will testify to thee: O Israel, if thou wilt hearken to me,

Hear, O my people, and I will adjure thee, O Israel, if thou wilt hearken unto me!

9 There shall be no new god in thee: neither shalt thou adore a strange god.

There shall not be, within thee, a foreign GOD, —Neither shalt thou bow down to a strange GOD:

10 For I am the Lord thy God, who brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.

I, Yahweh, am thy God, Who brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, —Open wide thy mouth, that I may fill it.

11 But my people heard not my voice: and Israel hearkened not to me.

But my people, hearkened not, unto my voice, Even, Israel, inclined not unto me.

12 So I let them go according to the desires of their heart: they shall walk in their own inventions.

So then I let them go on in the stubbornness of their own heart, They might walk in their own counsels!

13 If my people had heard me: if Israel had walked in my ways:

If, my people, were hearkening unto me, [If, ] Israel, in my ways, would walk,

14 I should soon have humbled their enemies, and laid my hand on them that troubled them.

Right soon, their foes, would I subdue, And, against their adversaries, would I turn my hand:

15 The enemies of the Lord have lied to him: and their time shall be for ever.

The haters of Yahweh, should come cringing unto him, Then let their own good time be age-abiding!

16 And he fed them with the fat of wheat, and filled them with honey out of the rock.

Then would he feed them from the marrow of the wheat, Yea, out of the rock—with honey, would I satisfy thee.