Psalm 81

English Standard Version

1 To the choirmaster: according to The Gittith.[1] Of Asaph. Sing aloud to God our strength; shout for joy to the God of Jacob! (De 32:43; Ps 8:1; Ps 50:1; Ps 66:1; Ps 84:1)2 Raise a song; sound the tambourine, the sweet lyre with the harp. (Ex 15:20; Ps 71:22)3 Blow the trumpet at the new moon, at the full moon, on our feast day. (Le 23:24; Nu 10:10; Nu 29:1)4 For it is a statute for Israel, a rule[2] of the God of Jacob.5 He made it a decree in Joseph when he went out over[3] the land of Egypt. I hear a language I had not known: (Ex 11:4; De 28:49; Ps 77:15; Ps 78:5; Ps 78:67; Ps 80:1; Ps 114:1; Ps 122:4; Jer 5:15)6 “I relieved your[4] shoulder of the burden; your hands were freed from the basket. (Ex 1:11; Isa 9:4; Isa 10:27)7 In distress you called, and I delivered you; I answered you in the secret place of thunder; I tested you at the waters of Meribah. (Ex 2:23; Ex 14:10; Ex 17:7; Ex 19:19; Nu 20:13; Ps 18:11; Ps 50:15)8 Hear, O my people, while I admonish you! O Israel, if you would but listen to me! (Ps 50:7)9 There shall be no strange god among you; you shall not bow down to a foreign god. (Ex 20:3; De 32:12; Ps 44:20; Isa 43:12)10 I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it. (Ex 20:2; Ps 37:3)11 “But my people did not listen to my voice; Israel would not submit to me. (Ex 32:1; De 32:15; De 32:18; Pr 1:25; Pr 1:30)12 So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts, to follow their own counsels. (De 29:19; Job 8:4; Ps 106:43; Jer 7:24; Mic 6:16; Ac 7:42; Ac 14:16; Ro 1:24; Ro 1:26)13 Oh, that my people would listen to me, that Israel would walk in my ways! (De 5:29; De 5:33; De 32:29; Isa 48:18)14 I would soon subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their foes. (Am 1:8)15 Those who hate the Lord would cringe toward him, and their fate would last forever. (Ps 18:44)16 But he would feed you[5] with the finest of the wheat, and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.” (De 32:13; De 32:14; Job 29:6; Ps 147:14; Eze 16:19)