Psalms 81

To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm of Asaph.of Asaph: or, for Asaph.

1Sing aloud unto God our strength: make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob.

2Take a psalm, and bring hither the timbrel, the pleasant harp with the psaltery.

3Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast day.

4For this was a statute for Israel, and a law of the God of Jacob.

5This he ordained in Joseph for a testimony, when he went out through the land of Egypt: where I heard a language that I understood not.1

6I removed his shoulder from the burden: his hands were delivered from the pots.2

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.3

8Hear, O my people, and I will testify unto thee: O Israel, if thou wilt hearken unto me;

9There shall no strange god be in thee; neither shalt thou worship any strange god.

10I am Yhwh thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.

11But my people would not hearken to my voice; and Israel would none of me.

12So I gave them up unto their own hearts’ lust: and they walked in their own counsels.4

13Oh that my people had hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my ways!

14I should soon have subdued their enemies, and turned my hand against their adversaries.

15The haters of Yhwh should have submitted themselves unto him: but their time should have endured for ever.5

16He should have fed them also with the finest of the wheat: and with honey out of the rock should I have satisfied thee.6