Psalm 81

Psalm 81

A Call to Obedience

For the choir director: on the Gittith. Of Asaph. ^y

¹Sing for joy to God our strength;

shout in triumph to the God of Jacob. ^z

²Lift up a song—play the tambourine,

the melodious lyre, and the harp. ^a

³Blow the horn on the day of our feasts ^bc

during the new moon ^d

and during the full moon.

⁴For this is a statute for Israel,

a judgment of the God of Jacob. ^e

⁵He set it up as an ordinance for Joseph

when He went throughout ^fthe land of Egypt. ^g

I heard an unfamiliar language:

⁶“I relieved his shoulder from the burden;

his hands were freed from carrying the basket. ^h

⁷You called out in distress, and I rescued you;

I answered you from the thundercloud. ⁱ

I tested you at the waters of Meribah. ^jSelah

⁸Listen, My people, and I will admonish you.

Israel, if you would only listen to Me! ^k

⁹There must not be a strange god among you;

you must not bow down to a foreign god. ^l

¹⁰I am Yahweh your God,

who brought you up from the land of Egypt. ^m

Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it. ⁿ

¹¹“But My people did not listen to Me;

Israel did not obey Me. ^o

¹²So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts

to follow their own plans. ^p

¹³If only My people would listen to Me

and Israel would follow My ways, ^q

¹⁴I would quickly subdue their enemies

and turn My hand against their foes.” ^r

¹⁵Those who hate the Lord

would pretend submission to Him; ^s

their doom would last forever. ^t

¹⁶But He would feed Israel ^uwith the best wheat.

“I would satisfy you with honey from the rock.” ^v