Psalms 81

1 For the music director. On the gittith. A psalm of Asaph. Sing aloud to God our strength; shout for joy to the God of Jacob.

To him that excelleth upon Gittith. A Psalme committed to Asaph. Sing ioyfully vnto God our strength: sing loude vnto the God of Iaakob.

2 Start the song! Play the tambourine, sweet-sounding lyre, and harp.

Take the song and bring forth the timbrel, the pleasant harpe with the viole.

3 Blow the trumpet at the new moon, and at full moon, to begin our festivals,

Blowe the trumpet in the newe moone, euen in the time appointed, at our feast day.

4 for this is a rule for Israel, a regulation of the God of Jacob.

For this is a statute for Israel, and a Law of the God of Iaakob.

5 God made this statute for Joseph when he opposed the land of Egypt. I heard a voice I didn't know, saying:

Hee set this in Ioseph for a testimonie, when hee came out of the land of Egypt, where I heard a language, that I vnderstoode not.

6 “I took the load from your shoulders; I freed your hands from carrying heavy baskets.

I haue withdrawen his shoulder from the burden, and his handes haue left the pots.

7 In your suffering you cried out to me, and I saved you. I answered you from the thundercloud. I tested you at the waters of Meribah. (Selah)

Thou calledst in affliction and I deliuered thee, and answered thee in the secret of the thunder: I prooued thee at the waters of Meribah. (Selah)

8 My people, listen to my warnings! Israel, please listen to me!

Heare, O my people, and I wil protest vnto thee: O Israel, if thou wilt hearken vnto me,

9 There must not be a strange god among you; you must never bow down to foreign gods and worship them.

Let there bee no strange god in thee, neither worship thou any strange god.

10 I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide and I will fill it.

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

11 But my people didn't listen to me. Israel didn't want anything to do with me.

But my people would not heare my voyce, and Israel would none of me.

12 So I sent them away to follow their stubborn thinking, living as they chose.

So I gaue them vp vnto the hardnesse of their heart, and they haue walked in their owne cousels.

13 If only my people would listen to me; if only Israel would follow my ways!

Oh that my people had hearkened vnto me, and Israel had walked in my wayes.

14 It wouldn't take me long to conquer their enemies, to strike down their foes.

I would soone haue humbled their enemies, and turned mine hand against their aduersaries.

15 Those who hate the Lord would cringe before him, forever doomed.

The haters of the Lord should haue bene subiect vnto him, and their time should haue endured for euer.

16 But I would feed you the best wheat and satisfy you with honey from the rock.”

And God would haue fedde them with the fatte of wheat, and with honie out of the rocke would I haue sufficed thee.