Psalms 81

1 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!

For the end, a Psalm for Asaph, concerning the wine-presses. Rejoice ye in God our helper; shout aloud to the God of Jacob.

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

Take a psalm, and produce the timbrel, the pleasant psaltery with the harp.

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

Blow the trumpet at the new moon, in the glorious day of your feast.

4 For it is a statute for Israel, an ordinance of the God of Jacob.

For [this] is an ordinance for Israel, and a statute of the God of Jacob.

5 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.

He made it [to be] a testimony in Joseph, when he came forth out of the land of Egypt: he heard a language which he understood not.

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

He removed his back from burdens: his hands slaved in making the baskets.

7 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)

Thou didst call upon me in trouble, and I delivered thee; I heard thee in the secret place of the storm: I proved thee at the water of Strife. (Pause)

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

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

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

there shall be no new god in thee; neither shalt thou worship a strange god.

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

For I am the Lord thy God, that 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 my voice. Israel desired none of me.

But my people hearkened not to my voice; and Israel gave no heed to me.

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

So I let them go after the ways of their own hearts: they will go on in their own ways.

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

If my people had hearkened to me, if Israel had walked in my ways,

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

I should have put down their enemies very quickly, and should have laid my hand upon those that afflicted them.

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

The Lord's enemies [should have] lied to him: but their time shall be for ever.

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

And he fed them with the fat of wheat; and satisfied them with honey out of the rock.