Psalm 81

Psalm 81

For the director of music. According to gittith. Of Asaph.

^*Sing for joy to God our strength;

shout aloud to the God of Jacob!^a

Begin the music, strike the timbrel,^b

play the melodious harp^c and lyre.^d

Sound the ram’s horn^e at the New Moon,^f

and when the moon is full, on the day of our Feast;

this is a decree for Israel,

an ordinance of the God of Jacob.^g

When God went out against Egypt,^h

he established it as a statute for Joseph.

I heard an unknown voice say:ⁱ

“I removed the burden^j from their shoulders;^k

their hands were set free from the basket.

In your distress you called^l and I rescued you,

I answered^m you out of a thundercloud;

I tested you at the waters of Meribah.ⁿ

Hear me, my people,^o and I will warn you—

if you would only listen to me, Israel!

You shall have no foreign god^p among you;

you shall not worship any god other than me.

I am the Lord your God,

who brought you up out of Egypt.^q

Open^r wide your mouth and I will fill^s it.

“But my people would not listen to me;

Israel would not submit to me.^t

So I gave them over^u to their stubborn hearts

to follow their own devices.

“If my people would only listen to me,^v

if Israel would only follow my ways,

how quickly I would subdue^w their enemies

and turn my hand against^x their foes!

Those who hate the Lord would cringe^y before him,

and their punishment would last forever.

But you would be fed with the finest of wheat;^z

with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”