Psalm 81
- Sing for joy to God our strength;
shout aloud to the God of Jacob!
- Begin the music, strike the timbrel,
play the melodious harp and lyre.
- Sound the ram’s horn at the New Moon,
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.
- When God went out against Egypt,
he established it as a statute for Joseph. I heard an unknown voice say:
- “I removed the burden from their shoulders;
their hands were set free from the basket.
- In your distress you called and I rescued you,
I answered you out of a thundercloud;
I tested you at the waters of Meribah.
- Hear me, my people, and I will warn you—
if you would only listen to me, Israel!
- You shall have no foreign god among you;
you shall not worship any god other than me.
- I am the Lord your God,
who brought you up out of Egypt.
Open wide your mouth and I will fill it.
- “But my people would not listen to me;
Israel would not submit to me.
- So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts
to follow their own devices.
- “If my people would only listen to me,
if Israel would only follow my ways,
- how quickly I would subdue their enemies
and turn my hand against their foes!
- Those who hate the Lord would cringe before him,
and their punishment would last forever.
- But you would be fed with the finest of wheat;
with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”
back