Psalm 81

¹ To the Overseer. — ‘On the Gittith.’ By Asaph. Cry aloud to God our strength, Shout to the God of Jacob.

² Lift up a song, and give out a timbrel, A pleasant harp with psaltery.

³ Blow in the month a trumpet, In the new moon, at the day of our festival,

⁴ For a statute to Israel it [is], An ordinance of the God of Jacob.

⁵ A testimony on Joseph He hath placed it, In his going forth over the land of Egypt. A lip, I have not known — I hear.

⁶ From the burden his shoulder I turned aside, His hands from the basket pass over.

⁷ In distress thou hast called and I deliver thee, I answer thee in the secret place of thunder, I try thee by the waters of Meribah. Selah.

⁸ Hear, O My people, and I testify to thee, O Israel, if thou dost hearken to me:

⁹ There is not in thee a strange god, And thou bowest not thyself to a strange god.

¹⁰ I [am] Jehovah thy God, Who bringeth thee up out of the land of Egypt. Enlarge thy mouth, and I fill it.

¹¹ But, My people hearkened not to My voice, And Israel hath not consented to Me.

¹² And I send them away in the enmity of their heart, They walk in their own counsels.

¹³ O that My people were hearkening to Me, Israel in My ways would walk.

¹⁴ As a little thing their enemies I cause to bow, And against their adversaries I turn back My hand,

¹⁵ Those hating Jehovah feign obedience to Him, But their time is — to the age.

¹⁶ He causeth him to eat of the fat of wheat, And [with] honey from a rock I satisfy thee!