Psalms 81 / 150
- 1Sing for joy to God our strength; shout aloud to the God of Jacob!
- 2Begin the music, strike the tambourine, play the melodious harp and lyre.
- 3Sound the ram's horn at the New Moon, and when the moon is full, on the day of our Feast;
- 4this is a decree for Israel, an ordinance of the God of Jacob.
- 5He established it as a statute for Joseph when he went out against Egypt, where we heard a language we did not understand.
- 6He says, "I removed the burden from their shoulders; their hands were set free from the basket.
- 7In your distress you called and I rescued you, I answered you out of a thundercloud; I tested you at the waters of Meribah. Selah
- 8"Hear, O my people, and I will warn you- if you would but listen to me, O Israel!
- 9You shall have no foreign god among you; you shall not bow down to an alien god.
- 10I am the LORD your God, who brought you up out of Egypt. Open wide your mouth and I will fill it.
- 11"But my people would not listen to me; Israel would not submit to me.
- 12So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts to follow their own devices.
- 13"If my people would but listen to me, if Israel would follow my ways,
- 14how quickly would I subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their foes!
- 15Those who hate the LORD would cringe before him, and their punishment would last forever.
- 16But you would be fed with the finest of wheat; with honey from the rock I would satisfy you."