81:1 For the director of music. According to gittith. Of Asaph. Sing for joy to God our strength; shout aloud to the God of Jacob!
81:2 Begin the music, strike the tambourine, play the melodious harp and lyre.
81:3 Sound the ram’s horn at the New Moon, and when the moon is full, on the day of our Feast;
81:4 this is a decree for Israel, an ordinance of the God of Jacob.
81:5 He established it as a statute for Joseph when he went out against Egypt, where we heard a language we did not understand.
81:6 He says, “I removed the burden from their shoulders; their hands were set free from the basket.
81:7 In your distress you called and I rescued you, I answered you out of a thundercloud; I tested you at the waters of Meribah. Selah
81:8 “Hear, O my people, and I will warn you–if you would but listen to me, O Israel!
81:9 You shall have no foreign god among you; you shall not bow down to an alien god.
81:10 I am the LORD your God, who brought you up out of Egypt. Open wide your mouth and I will fill it.
81:11 “But my people would not listen to me; Israel would not submit to me.
81:12 So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts to follow their own devices.
81:13 “If my people would but listen to me, if Israel would follow my ways,
81:14 how quickly would I subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their foes!
81:15 Those who hate the LORD would cringe before him, and their punishment would last forever.
81:16 But you would be fed with the finest of wheat; with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”
81:1 Sing for joy to God our strength; / Make a joyful noise to the God of Jacob.
81:2 Lift up a song and sound the tambourine, / The pleasant lyre with the harp.
81:3 Blow the trumpet at the new moon, / At the full moon, on our feast day.
81:4 For that is a statute of Israel, / An ordinance of the God of Jacob.
81:5 He appointed it as a testimony in Joseph / When He went out over the land of Egypt. / I heard a language that I did not know:
81:6 I turned your shoulder from the burden; / Your hands were freed from the basket.
81:7 You called in trouble, and I delivered you; / I answered you from the secret place of thunder; / I proved you at the waters of Meribah. Selah
81:8 Hear, O My people, and I will testify against you: / O Israel, if you would listen to Me!
81:9 There shall be no strange god among you, / Neither shall you worship any foreign god.
81:10 I am Jehovah your God, / Who brought you up out of the land of Egypt; / Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.
81:11 But My people did not listen to My voice, / And Israel would not consent to Me.
81:12 So I gave them over to the stubbornness of their heart: / They walked after their own counsels.
81:13 Oh that My people had listened to Me, / That Israel had walked in My ways!
81:14 I would have soon subdued their enemies / And turned My hand against their adversaries.
81:15 Those who hate Jehovah would have come cringing to Him, / And their time would be forever.
81:16 And He would have fed them with the finest of wheat; / Indeed with honey from the rock I would have satisfied you.