Psalm 81

God’s Appeal to Stubborn Israel

To the leader: according to The Gittith. Of Asaph.

1 Sing aloud to God our strength;

shout for joy to the God of Jacob.

2 Raise a song, sound the tambourine,

the sweet lyre with the harp.

3 Blow the trumpet at the new moon,

at the full moon, on our festal day.

4 For it is a statute for Israel,

an ordinance of the God of Jacob.

5 He made it a decree in Joseph,

when he went out overa the land of Egypt.

I hear a voice I had not known:

6 “I relieved yourb shoulder of the burden;

yourc hands were freed from the basket.

7 In distress you called, and I rescued you;

I answered you in the secret place of thunder;

I tested you at the waters of Meribah. Selah

8 Hear, O my people, while I admonish you;

O Israel, if you would but listen to me!

9 There shall be no strange god among you;

you shall not bow down to a foreign god.

10 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 did not listen to my voice;

Israel would not submit to me.

12 So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts,

to follow their own counsels.

13 O that my people would listen to me,

that Israel would walk in my ways!

14 Then I would quickly subdue their enemies,

and turn my hand against their foes.

15 Those who hate the Lord would cringe before him,

and their doom would last forever.

16 I would feed youd with the finest of the wheat,

and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”