Psalm 81
Psalm 81a
For the director of music. According to gittith.b Of Asaph.
1 Sing for joy to God our strength;
shout aloud to the God of Jacob!p
2 Begin the music, strike the timbrel,q
play the melodious harpr and lyre.s
3 Sound the ram’s hornt at the New Moon,u
and when the moon is full, on the day of our festival;
4 this is a decree for Israel,
an ordinance of the God of Jacob.v
5 When God went out against Egypt,w
he established it as a statute for Joseph.
I heard an unknown voice say:x
6 “I removed the burdeny from their shoulders;z
their hands were set free from the basket.
7 In your distress you calleda and I rescued you,
I answeredb you out of a thundercloud;
I tested you at the waters of Meribah.c c
8 Hear me, my people,d and I will warn you—
if you would only listen to me, Israel!
9 You shall have no foreign gode among you;
you shall not worship any god other than me.
who brought you up out of Egypt.f
Openg wide your mouth and I will fillh it.
11 “But my people would not listen to me;
Israel would not submit to me.i
12 So I gave them overj to their stubborn hearts
to follow their own devices.
13 “If my people would only listen to me,k
if Israel would only follow my ways,
14 how quickly I would subduel their enemies
and turn my hand againstm their foes!
15 Those who hate the Lord would cringen before him,
and their punishment would last forever.
16 But you would be fed with the finest of wheat;o
with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”