Psalms 81
Theme: A holiday hymn. This hymn celebrates the Exodus from Egypt—God’s goodness versus Israel’s waywardness. God is our deliverer in spite of our wanderings.
To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm of Asaph.
1Sing aloud unto God our strength: make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob. +
2Take a psalm, and bring hither the timbrel, the pleasant harp with the psaltery. +
3Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast day. +
4For this was a statute for Israel, and a law of the God of Jacob.
5This 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. +
6I removed his shoulder from the burden: his hands were delivered from the pots. +
7Thou 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. +
8Hear, O my people, and I will testify unto thee: O Israel, if thou wilt hearken unto me; +
9There shall no strange god be in thee; neither shalt thou worship any strange god. +
10I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it. +
11But my people would not hearken to my voice; and Israel would none of me. +
12So I gave them up unto their own hearts’ lust: and they walked in their own counsels. +
13Oh that my people had hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my ways! +
14I should soon have subdued their enemies, and turned my hand against their adversaries. +
15The haters of the LORD should have submitted themselves unto him: but their time should have endured for ever.
16He should have fed them also with the finest of the wheat: and with honey out of the rock should I have satisfied thee. +