Tehillim (Psa) 81

1 For the Leader. On thegittit. By Asaf:

2 Sing for joy to God our strength!

Shout to the God of Ya‘akov!

3 Start the music! Beat the drum!

Play the sweet lyre and the lute!

4 Sound theshofaratRosh-Hodesh

and at full moon for the pilgrim feast,

5 because this is a law for Isra’el,

a ruling of the God of Ya‘akov.

6 He placed it as a testimony in Y’hosef

when he went out against the land of Egypt.

I heard an unfamiliar voice say,

7 “I lifted the load from his shoulder;

his hands were freed from the [laborer’s] basket.

8 You called out when you were in trouble,

and I rescued you;

I answered you from the thundercloud;

I tested you at the M’rivah Spring [by saying,](Selah)

9 “‘Hear, my people, while I give you warning!

Isra’el, if you would only listen to me!

10 There is not to be with you any foreign god;

you are not to worship an alien god.

11 I amAdonaiyour God,

who brought you up from the land of Egypt.

Open your mouth, and I will fill it.’

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

Isra’el would have none of me.

13 So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts,

to live by their own plans.

14 How I wish my people would listen to me,

that Isra’el would live by my ways!

15 I would quickly subdue their enemies

and turn my hand against their foes.

16 Those who hateAdonaiwould cringe before him,

while [Isra’el’s] time would last forever.

17 They would be fed with the finest wheat,

and I would satisfy you with honey from the rocks.”

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