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For the Chief Musician. On an instrument of Gath. By Asaph.

81 Sing aloud to God, our strength!
    Make a joyful shout to the God of Jacob!
Raise a song, and bring here the tambourine,
    the pleasant lyre with the harp.
Blow the trumpet at the New Moon,
    at the full moon, on our feast day.
For it is a statute for Israel,
    an ordinance of the God of Jacob.
He appointed it in Joseph for a covenant,
    when he went out over the land of Egypt,
    I heard a language that I didn’t know.
“I removed his shoulder from the burden.
    His hands were freed from the basket.
You called in trouble, and I delivered you.
    I answered you in the secret place of thunder.
    I tested you at the waters of Meribah.” Selah.

“Hear, my people, and I will testify to you,
    Israel, if you would listen to me!
There shall be no strange god in you,
    neither shall you worship any foreign god.
10 I am Yahweh, your God,
    who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.
    Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.
11 But my people didn’t listen to my voice.
    Israel desired none of me.
12 So I let them go after the stubbornness of their hearts,
    that they might walk in their own counsels.
13 Oh that my people would listen to me,
    that Israel would walk in my ways!
14 I would soon subdue their enemies,
    and turn my hand against their adversaries.
15 The haters of Yahweh would cringe before him,
    and their punishment would last forever.
16 But he would have also fed them with the finest of the wheat.
    I will satisfy you with honey out of the rock.”

God’s Goodness and Israel’s Waywardness.

For the music director; [a]on the Gittith. A Psalm of Asaph.

81 (A)Sing for joy to God our (B)strength;
Shout (C)joyfully to the (D)God of Jacob.
Raise a song, strike (E)the tambourine,
The sweet sounding (F)lyre with the (G)harp.
Blow the trumpet at the (H)new moon,
At the full moon, on our (I)feast day.
For it is a statute for Israel,
An ordinance of the God of Jacob.
He established it as a testimony in Joseph
When he [b](J)went throughout the land of Egypt.
I heard a (K)language I did not know:

“I [c](L)relieved his shoulder of the burden,
His hands were freed from the [d]basket.
You (M)called in trouble and I rescued you;
I (N)answered you in the hiding place of thunder;
I put you to the test at the (O)waters of Meribah. Selah
(P)Hear, My people, and I will admonish you;
Israel, if you (Q)would listen to Me!
There shall be no (R)strange god among you;
Nor shall you worship a foreign god.
10 (S)I, the Lord, am your God,
Who brought you up from the land of Egypt;
(T)Open your mouth wide and I will (U)fill it.

11 “But My people (V)did not listen to My voice,
And Israel did not [e]obey Me.
12 So I (W)gave [f]them over to the stubbornness of their heart,
To walk by their own plans.
13 Oh that My people (X)would listen to Me,
That Israel would (Y)walk in My ways!
14 I would quickly (Z)subdue their enemies
And (AA)turn My hand against their adversaries.
15 (AB)Those who hate the Lord would (AC)pretend to obey Him,
And their time of punishment would be forever.
16 [g]But I would feed you with the [h](AD)finest of the wheat,
And with (AE)honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 81 Title Or according to
  2. Psalm 81:5 Lit went out over
  3. Psalm 81:6 Lit removed his shoulder from
  4. Psalm 81:6 Or brick load
  5. Psalm 81:11 Lit yield to
  6. Psalm 81:12 Lit him
  7. Psalm 81:16 Lit He would feed him
  8. Psalm 81:16 Lit fat