Psalm 81

Sing aloud unto God our strength: make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob.

Pour your heart out in song to our mighty God; let your joyous cheers echo for the God of Jacob.

Take a psalm, and bring hither the timbrel, the pleasant harp with the psaltery.

Bring forth a song, and with it, the rhythmic tambourine, the soothing harp, and the melodious lyre.

Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast day.

Sound the trumpet joyfully at the dawn of the new moon, during our sacred celebration.

For this was a statute for Israel, and a law of the God of Jacob.

This was a sacred rule for Israel, a divine decree from the God of Jacob.

This 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.

He set this up as a lasting witness for Joseph's people when he went out across the land of Egypt, where I heard a language I did not understand.

I removed his shoulder from the burden: his hands were delivered from the pots.

I lifted the heavy load from his back, freeing his hands from endless toil.

Thou 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.

When you were in distress, you cried out and I saved you. I responded from the hidden depths of the storm. I tested your faith at the waters of Meribah. Pause and reflect.

Hear, O my people, and I will testify unto thee: O Israel, if thou wilt hearken unto me;

Listen closely, my people, I will speak the truth to you: Oh Israel, only if you choose to truly hear me;

There shall no strange god be in thee; neither shalt thou worship any strange god.

Never let a foreign god have a place among you, nor should you ever bow down to any foreign deity.

I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.

I am your God, who rescued you from Egypt's grip. Open your heart to me, and I will satisfy your soul.

But my people would not hearken to my voice; and Israel would none of me.

Despite my pleas, my people turned a deaf ear to me; even Israel rejected my presence.

So I gave them up unto their own hearts’ lust: and they walked in their own counsels.

So, I let them follow their own desires, and they chose to listen to their own advice.

Oh that my people had hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my ways!

I wish my people had listened to me, if only Israel had followed my path!

I should soon have subdued their enemies, and turned my hand against their adversaries.

I would have quickly conquered their foes and struck down those who oppose them.

The haters of the LORD should have submitted themselves unto him: but their time should have endured for ever.

Those who despise God would have cowered before Him, and their doom would have lasted forever.

He should have fed them also with the finest of the wheat: and with honey out of the rock should I have satisfied thee.

He would have nourished them with the best wheat, and I would have satisfied you with honey from the rock.