Psalm 81

Psalm 81

For the choir director: A psalm of Asaph, to be accompanied by a stringed instrument.

1 Sing praises to God, our strength.
Sing to the God of Jacob.2 Sing! Beat the tambourine.
Play the sweet lyre and the harp.3 Blow the ram’s horn at new moon,
and again at full moon to call a festival!4 For this is required by the decrees of Israel;
it is a regulation of the God of Jacob.5 He made it a law for Israelt
when he attacked Egypt to set us free.
I heard an unknown voice say,6 “Now I will take the load from your shoulders;
I will free your hands from their heavy tasks.7 You cried to me in trouble, and I saved you;
I answered out of the thundercloud
and tested your faith when there was no water at Meribah.
Interlude8 “Listen to me, O my people, while I give you stern warnings.
O Israel, if you would only listen to me!9 You must never have a foreign god;
you must not bow down before a false god.10 For it was I, the LORD your God,
who rescued you from the land of Egypt.
Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it with good things.11 “But no, my people wouldn’t listen.
Israel did not want me around.12 So I let them follow their own stubborn desires,
living according to their own ideas.13 Oh, that my people would listen to me!
Oh, that Israel would follow me, walking in my paths!14 How quickly I would then subdue their enemies!
How soon my hands would be upon their foes!15 Those who hate the LORD would cringe before him;
they would be doomed forever.16 But I would feed you with the finest wheat.
I would satisfy you with wild honey from the rock.”

PSALMS 81

God Makes Us Strong

1 Be happy and shout to God
who makes us strong!
Shout praises to the God
of Jacob.

2 Sing as you play tambourines
and the lovely sounding
stringed instruments.

3  t Sound the trumpets and start
the New Moon Festival.t
We must also celebrate
when the moon is full.

4 This is the law in Israel,
and it was given to us
by the God of Jacob.

5 The descendants of Joseph
were told to obey it,
when God led them out
from the land of Egypt.
In a voice unknown to me,
I heard someone say:

6 “I lifted the burden
from your shoulder
and took the heavy basket
from your hands.

7  t When you were in trouble,
I rescued you,
and from the thunderclouds,
I answered your prayers.
Later I tested you
at Meribah Spring.t

8 “Listen, my people,
while I, the Lord,
correct you!
Israel, if you would only
pay attention to me!

9  t Don't worship foreign gods
or bow down to gods
you know nothing about.

10 I am the [Lord] your God.
I rescued you from Egypt.
Just ask, and I will give you
whatever you need.

11 “But, my people, Israel,
you refused to listen,
and you would have nothing
to do with me!

12 So I let you be stubborn
and keep on following
your own advice.

13 “My people, Israel,
if only you would listen
and do as I say!

14 I, the [Lord], would quickly
defeat your enemies
with my mighty power.

15 Everyone who hates me
would come crawling,
and that would be the end
of them.

16 But I would feed you
with the finest bread
and with the best honeyt
until you were full.”