Psalm 81

For the Chief Musician. On an instrument of Gath. By Asaph.

Y’all sing aloud to God, our strength! Y’all shout in joy to the God of Jacob! Y’all raise a song and play the tambourine, the sweet sounding lyre with the harp. Y’all blow the ram’s horn at the New Moon, at the full moon, on our feast day. For it is a statute for Israel, an ordinance of the God of Jacob. Hᴇ appointed it in Joseph for a covenant, when he went out over the land of Egypt, I heard a language that I didn’t know. “I removed the burden from his shoulder. His hands were freed from the basket. You called in distress, and I delivered you. I answered you from a thundercloud. I tested you at the waters of Meribah.” Selah.

“Hear, my people, and I will testify to you, Israel, if you would listen to me! There must not be any strange god among you, nor are you to worship any foreign god. I am YHWH, your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it. But my people didn’t listen to my voice. Israel desired none of me. So I let them go after the stubbornness of their hearts, that they might walk in their own counsels. Oh that my people would listen to me, that Israel would walk in my ways! I would soon subdue their enemies, and turn my hand against their adversaries. The haters of YHWH would cringe before ʜɪᴍ, and their punishment would last forever. But he would have also fed them with the finest of the wheat. I will satisfy you with honey out of the rock.”