To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm of Asaph. 81:1 Sing aloud unto God our strength: make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob.

81:2 Take a psalm, and bring hither the timbrel, the pleasant harp with the psaltery.

81:3 Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast day.

81:4 For this was a statute for Israel, and a law of the God of Jacob.

81:5 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.

81:6 I removed his shoulder from the burden: his hands were delivered from the pots.

81:7 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.

81:8 Hear, O my people, and I will testify unto thee: O Israel, if thou wilt hearken unto me;

81:9 There shall no strange god be in thee; neither shalt thou worship any strange god.

81:10 I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.

81:11 But my people would not hearken to my voice; and Israel would none of me.

81:12 So I gave them up unto their own hearts' lust: and they walked in their own counsels.

81:13 Oh that my people had hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my ways!

81:14 I should soon have subdued their enemies, and turned my hand against their adversaries.

81:15 The haters of the LORD should have submitted themselves unto him: but their time should have endured for ever.

81:16 He should have fed them also with the finest of the wheat: and with honey out of the rock should I have satisfied thee.