81
To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm of Asaph.
1  Sing aloud unto God our strength: make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob.* 2  Take a psalm, and bring hither the timbrel, the pleasant harp with the psaltery. 3  Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast day. 4 For this was a statute for Israel, and a law of the God of Jacob. 5  This he ordained in Joseph for a testimony, when he went out through the land of Egypt: where I heard a language that I understood not.† 6  I removed his shoulder from the burden: his hands were delivered from the pots.‡ 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.§ 8  Hear, O my people, and I will testify unto thee: O Israel, if thou wilt hearken unto me; 9  There shall no strange god be in thee; neither shalt thou worship any strange god. 10 I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it. 11  But my people would not hearken to my voice; and Israel would none of me. 12  So I gave them up unto their own hearts’ lust: and they walked in their own counsels.** 13  Oh that my people had hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my ways! 14  I should soon have subdued their enemies, and turned my hand against their adversaries. 15  The haters of the LORD should have submitted themselves unto him: but their time should have endured for ever.†† 16  He should have fed them also with the finest of the wheat: and with honey out of the rock should I have satisfied thee.‡‡
* 81:1 of Asaph: or, for Asaph † 81:5 through: or, against ‡ 81:6 were…: Heb. passed away § 81:7 Meribah: or, Strife ** 81:12 unto…: or, to the hardness of their hearts, or, imagination †† 81:15 submitted…: or, yielded feigned obedience: Heb. lied ‡‡ 81:16 finest…: Heb. fat of wheat