Psalm 81

A Call to Obedience

For the choir director: on the Gittith. Of Asaph. ^a

¹Sing for joy to God our strength;

shout in triumph to the God of Jacob. ^b

²Lift up a song #— #play the tambourine,

the melodious lyre, and the harp. ^c

³Blow the ram’s horn on the day of our feasts ^d

during the new moon ^e

and during the full moon.

⁴For this is a statute for Israel,

an ordinance of the God of Jacob. ^f

⁵He set it up as a decree for Joseph

when he went throughout ^g the land of Egypt. ^h

I heard an unfamiliar language:

⁶“I relieved his shoulder from the burden;

his hands were freed from carrying the basket. ⁱ

⁷You called out in distress, and I rescued you;

I answered you from the thundercloud. ^j

I tested you at the Waters of Meribah. ^k Selah

⁸Listen, my people, and I will admonish you.

Israel, if you would only listen to me! ^l

⁹There must not be a strange god among you;

you must not bow down to a foreign god. ^m

¹⁰I am the Lord your God,

who brought you up from the land of Egypt. ⁿ

Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it. ^o

¹¹“But my people did not listen to my voice;

Israel did not obey me. ^p

¹²So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts

to follow their own plans. ^q

¹³If only my people would listen to me

and Israel would follow my ways, ^r

¹⁴I would quickly subdue their enemies

and turn my hand against their foes.” ^s

¹⁵Those who hate the Lord

would cower to him; ^t

their doom would last forever. ^u

¹⁶But he would feed Israel ^v with the best wheat.

“I would satisfy you with honey from the rock.” ^w