Psalm 81
To the Chief Musician; set to the Philistine lute. A Psalm of Asaph.
Sing out to the God of our strength all our praises!
Sing joyfully to Jacob's God from your heart.
Begin now the music, give voice to the timbrel,
and play the melodious lyre and harp.
And blow the ram's horn when the new moon brings darkness;
again, when you feast with full moon, have it play.
For this is required as Israel's duty,
a judgement from Jacob's God they must obey.
Established through Joseph when God went through Egypt,
where I heard a language I understood not:
I lifted the burden from your weary shoulders,
your hands were set free from the basket and pot.
You called me when troubled and you were delivered;
I answered you out of the thundering cloud.
I tested you there when at Meribah, grumbling,
fresh water gushed out from the rock I allowed.
Selah [Interlude]
O hear me, my people, while I give stern warnings.
O Israel, if you'd but listen to me!
There must never be a strange god raised among you;
nor any false idol where you bend your knee.
For I am the LORD God, who brought you from Egypt.
Come, open your mouth wide, and it will be filled.
But, my people, Israel, chose not to listen,
refusing to serve me nor choosing my will.
So, I gave them over to their own ambitions,
to follow their own plans, devising their days.
If only my people had heard and obeyed me,
if Israel only had followed my ways.
How quickly would their enemies then be humbled;
how soon would my hand turn against all their foes.
Those hating the LORD would pretend their submission;
forever they're doomed to the fate that they chose.
But you would be fed with the finest of flour,
yes, I would have fed you the finest of wheat.
From out of the rock, you'd have scooped wild honey;
my blessings on you would have made you complete.
Sing out to the God of our strength all our praises!
Sing joyfully to Jacob's God from your heart.
Begin now the music, give voice to the timbrel,
and play the melodious lyre and harp.
And blow the ram's horn when the new moon brings darkness;
again, when you feast with full moon, have it play.
For this is required as Israel's duty,
a judgement from Jacob's God they must obey.
Established through Joseph when God went through Egypt,
where I heard a language I understood not:
I lifted the burden from your weary shoulders,
your hands were set free from the basket and pot.
You called me when troubled and you were delivered;
I answered you out of the thundering cloud.
I tested you there when at Meribah, grumbling,
fresh water gushed out from the rock I allowed.
Selah [Interlude]
O hear me, my people, while I give stern warnings.
O Israel, if you'd but listen to me!
There must never be a strange god raised among you;
nor any false idol where you bend your knee.
For I am the LORD God, who brought you from Egypt.
Come, open your mouth wide, and it will be filled.
But, my people, Israel, chose not to listen,
refusing to serve me nor choosing my will.
So, I gave them over to their own ambitions,
to follow their own plans, devising their days.
If only my people had heard and obeyed me,
if Israel only had followed my ways.
How quickly would their enemies then be humbled;
how soon would my hand turn against all their foes.
Those hating the LORD would pretend their submission;
forever they're doomed to the fate that they chose.
But you would be fed with the finest of flour,
yes, I would have fed you the finest of wheat.
From out of the rock, you'd have scooped wild honey;
my blessings on you would have made you complete.
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