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To the chief Musician. Upon the Gittith. [A Psalm] of Asaph.

81 Sing ye joyously unto God our strength, shout aloud unto the God of Jacob;

Raise a song, and sound the tambour, the pleasant harp with the lute.

Blow the trumpet at the new moon, at the set time, on our feast day:

For this is a statute for Israel, an ordinance of the God of Jacob;

He ordained it in Joseph [for] a testimony, when he went forth over the land of Egypt, [where] I heard a language that I knew not.

I removed his shoulder from the burden; his hands were freed from the basket.

Thou 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.

Hear, my people, and I will testify unto thee; O Israel, if thou wouldest hearken unto me!

There shall no strange god be in thee, neither shalt thou worship any foreign god.

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

11 But my people hearkened not to my voice, and Israel would none of me.

12 So I gave them up unto their own hearts' stubbornness: they walked after their own counsels.

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

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

15 The haters of Jehovah would have come cringing unto him; but their time would have been for ever.

16 And he would have fed them with the finest of wheat; yea, with honey out of the rock would I have satisfied thee.

Psalm 81[a]

For the director of music. According to gittith.[b] 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 festival;
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.[c](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.
10 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.

11 “But my people would not listen to me;
    Israel would not submit to me.(T)
12 So I gave them over(U) to their stubborn hearts
    to follow their own devices.

13 “If my people would only listen to me,(V)
    if Israel would only follow my ways,
14 how quickly I would subdue(W) their enemies
    and turn my hand against(X) their foes!
15 Those who hate the Lord would cringe(Y) before him,
    and their punishment would last forever.
16 But you would be fed with the finest of wheat;(Z)
    with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 81:1 In Hebrew texts 81:1-16 is numbered 81:2-17.
  2. Psalm 81:1 Title: Probably a musical term
  3. Psalm 81:7 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.