Psalms 81

1 Make a song to God our strength: make a glad cry to the God of Jacob.

1Sing aloud unto God our strength: Make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob.

1A psalm for Asaph. God hath stood in the congregation of gods: and being in the midst of them he judgeth gods.

2Take up the melody, playing on an instrument of music, even on corded instruments.

2Raise a song, and bring hither the timbrel, The pleasant harp with the psaltery.

2How long will you judge unjustly: and accept the persons of the wicked?

3Let the horn be sounded in the time of the new moon, at the full moon, on our holy feast-day:

3Blow the trumpet at the new moon, At the full moon, on our feast-day.

3Judge for the needy and fatherless: do justice to the humble and the poor.

4For this is a rule for Israel, and a law of the God of Jacob.

4For it is a statute for Israel, An ordinance of the God of Jacob.

4Rescue the poor; and deliver the needy out of the hand of the sinner.

5He gave it to Joseph as a witness, when he went out over the land of Egypt; then the words of a strange tongue were sounding in my ears.

5He appointed it in Joseph for a testimony, When he went out over the land of Egypt, WhereI heard a language that I knew not.

5They have not known nor understood: they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth shall be moved.

6I took the weight from his back; his hands were made free from the baskets.

6I removed his shoulder from the burden: His hands were freed from the basket.

6I have said: You are gods and all of you the sons of the most High.

7You gave a cry in your trouble, and I made you free; I gave you an answer in the secret place of the thunder; I put you to the test at the waters of Meribah. (Selah.)

7Thou 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

7But you like men shall die: and shall fall like one of the princes.

8Give ear, O my people, and I will give you my word, O Israel, if you will only do as I say!

8Hear, O my people, and I will testify unto thee: O Israel, if thou wouldest hearken unto me!

8Arise, O God, judge thou the earth: for thou shalt inherit among all the nations.

9There is to be no strange god among you; you are not to give worship to any other god.

9There shall no strange god be in thee; Neither shalt thou worship any foreign god.

9(not in this translation)

10I am the Lord your God, who took you up from the land of Egypt: let your mouth be open wide, so that I may give you food.

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

10(not in this translation)

11But my people did not give ear to my voice; Israel would have nothing to do with me.

11But my people hearkened not to my voice; And Israel would none of me.

11(not in this translation)

12So I gave them up to the desires of their hearts; that they might go after their evil purposes.

12So I let them go after the stubbornness of their heart, That they might walk in their own counsels.

12(not in this translation)

13If only my people would give ear to me, walking in my ways!

13Oh that my people would hearken unto me, That Israel would walk in my ways!

13(not in this translation)

14I would quickly overcome their haters: my hand would be turned against those who make war on them.

14I would soon subdue their enemies, And turn my hand against their adversaries.

14(not in this translation)

15The haters of the Lord would be broken, and their destruction would be eternal.

15The haters of Jehovah should submit themselves unto him: But their time should endure for ever.

15(not in this translation)

16I would give them the best grain for food; you would be full of honey from the rock.

16He would feed them also with the finest of the wheat; And with honey out of the rock would I satisfy thee.

16(not in this translation)