Psalm 81

For the Chief Musician; set to the Gittith. A Psalm of Asaph.

1Sing aloud unto God our strength:

Make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob.

2Raise a song, and bring hither the timbrel,

The pleasant harp with the psaltery.

3Blow the trumpet at the new moon,

At the full moon, on our feast-day.

4For it is a statute for Israel,

An ordinance of the God of Jacob.

5He appointed it in Joseph for a testimony,

When he went out over the land of Egypt,

Where I heard a language that I knew not.

6I removed his shoulder from the burden:

His hands were freed from the basket.

7Thou calledst in trouble, and I delivered thee;

I answered thee in the secret place of thunder;

I proved thee at the waters of Meribah. [Selah

8Hear, O my people, and I will testify unto thee:

O Israel, if thou wouldest hearken unto me!

9There shall no strange god be in thee;

Neither shalt thou worship any foreign god.

10I am Jehovah thy God,

Who brought thee up out of the land of Egypt:

Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.

11But my people hearkened not to my voice;

And Israel would none of me.

12So I let them go after the stubbornness of their heart,

That they might walk in their own counsels.

13Oh that my people would hearken unto me,

That Israel would walk in my ways!

14I would soon subdue their enemies,

And turn my hand against their adversaries.

15The haters of Jehovah should submit themselves unto him:

But their time should endure for ever.

16He would feed them also with the finest of the wheat;

And with honey out of the rock would I satisfy thee.