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For the Director: On the Gittith. By Asaph.

Celebrating and Remembering God

81 Sing joyfully to God, our strength.
    Raise a shout to the God of Jacob.
Sing a song and play the tambourine,
    the pleasant-sounding lyre along with the harp.
Blow the ram’s horn when there is a New Moon,
    when there is a full moon,
        on our festival day,
because it is a statute in Israel,
    an ordinance by the God of Jacob,
a decree that he prescribed for Joseph
    when he went throughout the land of Egypt,
        speaking a language I did not recognize.[a]

I removed the burden from your[b] shoulder;
    your[c] hands were freed of the burdensome basket.[d]
In a time of need you called out and I delivered you;
    I answered you from the dark thundercloud;
        I tested you at the waters of Meribah.
Interlude

Listen, My people and I will warn you.
    Israel, if only you would obey me!
You must neither have a foreign god over you
    or worship a strange god.
10 I am the Lord your God,
    who brought you out of the land of Egypt,
        open your mouth that I may fill it.
11 Yet my people didn’t obey my voice;
    Israel didn’t submit to me.
12 So I allowed them[e] to continue in their stubbornness,
    living by their own advice.
13 If only my people would obey me,
    if only Israel would walk in my ways!
14 Then I would quickly subdue their enemies.
    I would turn against their foes.
15 Those who hate the Lord will cringe before him;
    their punishment will be permanent.
16 But I will feed Israel[f] with the finest wheat,
    satisfying you with honey from the rock.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 81:5 Lit. hear
  2. Psalm 81:6 Lit. his
  3. Psalm 81:6 Lit. his
  4. Psalm 81:6 Lit. hands let pass through the basket
  5. Psalm 81:12 Or it/ her
  6. Psalm 81:16 Lit. him