Psalm 81
[By Asaph for the music leader.] God Makes Us Strong ¹ Be happy and shout to God who makes us strong! Shout praises to the God of Jacob. ² Sing as you play tambourines and the lovely sounding stringed instruments. ³ Sound the trumpets and start the New Moon Festival. We must also celebrate when the moon is full. ⁴ This is the law in Israel, and it was given to us by the God of Jacob. ⁵ The descendants of Joseph were told to obey it, when God led them out from the land of Egypt. In a language unknown to me, I heard someone say: ⁶ "I lifted the burden from your shoulder and took the heavy basket from your hands. ⁷ When you were in trouble, I rescued you, and from the thunderclouds, I answered your prayers. Later I tested you at Meribah Spring. ⁸ "Listen, my people, while I, the Lord, correct you! Israel, if you would only pay attention to me! ⁹ Don’t worship foreign gods or bow down to gods you know nothing about. ¹⁰ I am the Lord your God. I rescued you from Egypt. Just ask, and I will give you whatever you need. ¹¹ "But, my people, Israel, you refused to listen, and you would have nothing to do with me! ¹² So I let you be stubborn and keep on following your own advice. ¹³ "My people, Israel, if only you would listen and do as I say! ¹⁴ I, the Lord, would quickly defeat your enemies with my mighty power. ¹⁵ Everyone who hates me would come crawling, and that would be the end of them. ¹⁶ But I would feed you with the finest bread and with the best honey until you were full."