Psalms 81

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.

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

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?

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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

9(not in this translation)

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

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)

10I <FI>am<Fi> Jehovah thy God, Who bringeth thee up out of the land of Egypt. Enlarge thy mouth, and I fill it.

11But 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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