Psalms 81

1 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;

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

5 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;

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

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

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

7 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)

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)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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