Psalms 81

1 Sing ye joyously untoGod our strength, shout aloud unto theGod of Jacob;

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

1To the Overseer. --`On the Gittith.' By Asaph. Cry aloud to God our strength, Shout to the God of Jacob.

2 Raise a song, and sound the tambour, the pleasant harp with the lute.

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

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

3 Blow the trumpet at the new moon, at the set time, on our feast day:

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

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

4 For this is a statute for Israel, an ordinance of theGod of Jacob;

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

4For a statute to Israel it <FI>is<Fi> , An ordinance of the God of Jacob.

5 He ordained it in Joseph [for] a testimony, when he went forth over the land of Egypt, [where] I 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.

5A 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 I 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.

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

7 Thou 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.

7In 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, 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.

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

9 There shall no strangegod be in thee, neither shalt thou worship any foreigngod.

9(not in this translation)

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

10 I am Jehovah thyGod, that brought thee up out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.

10(not in this translation)

10I <FI>am<Fi> 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 would none of me.

11(not in this translation)

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

12 So I gave them up unto their own hearts' stubbornness: they walked after their own counsels.

12(not in this translation)

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

13 Oh that my people had hearkened unto me, that Israel had walked in my ways!

13(not in this translation)

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

14 I would soon have subdued their enemies, and turned my hand against their adversaries.

14(not in this translation)

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

15 The haters of Jehovah would have come cringing unto him; but their time would have been for ever.

15(not in this translation)

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

16 And he would have fed them with the finest of wheat; yea, with honey out of the rock would I have satisfied thee.

16(not in this translation)

16He causeth him to eat of the fat of wheat, And <FI>with<Fi> honey from a rock I satisfy thee!