Psalm 81

Oh, That My People Would Listen to Me

¹ Sing aloud to God our strength;
Make a joyful shout to the God of Jacob. ² Raise a song and strike the timbrel,
The pleasant harp with the lute. ³ Blow the trumpet at the time of the New Moon,
At the full moon, on our solemn feast day.

⁴ For _a this is a statute for Israel,
A law of the God of Jacob. ⁵ This He established in Joseph as a testimony,
When He went throughout the land of Egypt,
_b Where I heard a language I did not understand. ⁶ "I removed his shoulder from the burden;
His hands were freed from the baskets. ⁷ _c You called in trouble, and I delivered you;
_d I answered you in the secret place of thunder;
I _e tested you at the waters of ₁ Meribah. Selah ⁸ "Hear, _f O My people, and I will admonish you!
O Israel, if you will listen to Me! ⁹ There shall be no _g foreign god among you;
Nor shall you worship any foreign god. ¹⁰ _h I am the LORD your God,
Who brought you out of the land of Egypt;
_i Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.

¹¹ "But My people would not heed My voice,
And Israel would have _j none of Me. ¹² _k So I gave them over to ₂ their own stubborn heart,
To walk in their own counsels. ¹³ "Oh, _l that My people would listen to Me,
That Israel would walk in My ways! ¹⁴ I would soon subdue their enemies,
And turn My hand against their adversaries. ¹⁵ _m The haters of the LORD would pretend submission to Him,
But their ₃ fate would endure forever. ¹⁶ He would _n have fed them also with ₄ the finest of wheat;
And with honey _o from the rock I would have satisfied you."