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

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

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

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

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

For it is a statute for Israel, an ordinance 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;

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

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

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)

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

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

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

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

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 up 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 my voice. Israel desired none of 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 let them go after the stubbornness of their hearts, that they might walk in their own counsels.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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