Psalm 81[a]
For the director of music. According to gittith.[b] Of Asaph.
1 Sing for joy to God our strength;
shout aloud to the God of Jacob!(A)
2 Begin the music, strike the timbrel,(B)
play the melodious harp(C) and lyre.(D)
3 Sound the ram’s horn(E) at the New Moon,(F)
and when the moon is full, on the day of our festival;
4 this is a decree for Israel,
an ordinance of the God of Jacob.(G)
5 When God went out against Egypt,(H)
he established it as a statute for Joseph.
I heard an unknown voice say:(I)
6 “I removed the burden(J) from their shoulders;(K)
their hands were set free from the basket.
7 In your distress you called(L) and I rescued you,
I answered(M) you out of a thundercloud;
I tested you at the waters of Meribah.[c](N)
8 Hear me, my people,(O) and I will warn you—
if you would only listen to me, Israel!
9 You shall have no foreign god(P) among you;
you shall not worship any god other than me.
10 I am the Lord your God,
who brought you up out of Egypt.(Q)
Open(R) wide your mouth and I will fill(S) it.
11 “But my people would not listen to me;
Israel would not submit to me.(T)
12 So I gave them over(U) to their stubborn hearts
to follow their own devices.
13 “If my people would only listen to me,(V)
if Israel would only follow my ways,
14 how quickly I would subdue(W) their enemies
and turn my hand against(X) their foes!
15 Those who hate the Lord would cringe(Y) before him,
and their punishment would last forever.
16 But you would be fed with the finest of wheat;(Z)
with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”
Footnotes
- Psalm 81:1 In Hebrew texts 81:1-16 is numbered 81:2-17.
- Psalm 81:1 Title: Probably a musical term
- Psalm 81:7 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.
Cross references
- Psalm 81:1 : S Ps 66:1
- Psalm 81:2 : S Ex 15:20
- Psalm 81:2 : Ps 92:3
- Psalm 81:2 : S Job 21:12
- Psalm 81:3 : S Ex 19:13
- Psalm 81:3 : S Ne 10:33
- Psalm 81:4 : ver 1
- Psalm 81:5 : S Ex 11:4
- Psalm 81:5 : Ps 114:1
- Psalm 81:6 : S Ex 1:14
- Psalm 81:6 : Isa 9:4; 52:2
- Psalm 81:7 : S Ex 2:23
- Psalm 81:7 : Ex 19:19
- Psalm 81:7 : S Ex 17:7; S Dt 33:8
- Psalm 81:8 : Ps 50:7; 78:1
- Psalm 81:9 : S Ex 20:3
- Psalm 81:10 : S Ex 6:6; S 13:3; S 29:46
- Psalm 81:10 : Eze 2:8
- Psalm 81:10 : Ps 107:9
- Psalm 81:11 : Ex 32:1-6
- Psalm 81:12 : Eze 20:25; Ac 7:42; Ro 1:24
- Psalm 81:13 : S Dt 5:29
- Psalm 81:14 : Ps 47:3
- Psalm 81:14 : Am 1:8
- Psalm 81:15 : S 2Sa 22:45
- Psalm 81:16 : S Dt 32:14