81:1 *[For the director of music. According to gittith.** Of Asaph.] Sing for joy to God our strength; shout aloud to the God of Jacob! / *In Hebrew texts 81:1-16 is numbered 81:2-17. / **Title: Probably a musical term
81:2 Begin the music, strike the timbrel, play the melodious harp and lyre.
81:3 Sound the ram’s horn at the New Moon, and when the moon is full, on the day of our festival;
81:4 this is a decree for Israel, an ordinance of the God of Jacob.
81:5 When God went out against Egypt, he established it as a statute for Joseph. I heard an unknown voice say:
81:6 “I removed the burden from their shoulders; their hands were set free from the basket.
81:7 In your distress you called and I rescued you, I answered you out of a thundercloud; I tested you at the waters of Meribah.* / *The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.
81:8 Hear me, my people, and I will warn you - if you would only listen to me, Israel!
81:9 You shall have no foreign god among you; you shall not worship any god other than me.
81:10 I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of Egypt. Open wide your mouth and I will fill it.
81:11 “But my people would not listen to me; Israel would not submit to me.
81:12 So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts to follow their own devices.
81:13 “If my people would only listen to me, if Israel would only follow my ways,
81:14 how quickly I would subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their foes!
81:15 Those who hate the Lord would cringe before him, and their punishment would last forever.
81:16 But you would be fed with the finest of wheat; with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”