Psalm 81
New King James Version

An Appeal for Israel’s Repentance

To the Chief Musician.^(A)On^[a]an instrument of Gath.A Psalmof Asaph.

81 Sing aloud to God our strength;
Make a joyful shout to the God of Jacob.
²Raise a song and strike the timbrel,
The pleasant harp with the lute.

³Blow the trumpet at the time of the New Moon,
At the full moon, on our solemn feast day.
⁴For^(B)thisisa statute for Israel,
A law of the God of Jacob.
⁵This He established in Josephasa testimony,
When He went throughout the land of Egypt,
^(C)WhereI heard a language I did not understand.

⁶“I removed his shoulder from the burden;
His hands were freed from the baskets.
⁷^(D)You called in trouble, and I delivered you;
^(E)I answered you in the secret place of thunder;
I^(F)tested you at the waters of^[b]Meribah.Selah

⁸“Hear,^(G)O My people, and I will admonish you!
O Israel, if you will listen to Me!
⁹There shall be no^(H)foreign god among you;
Nor shall you worship any foreign god.
¹⁰^(I)IamtheLordyour God,
Who brought you out of the land of Egypt;
^(J)Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.

¹¹“But My people would not heed My voice,
And Israel wouldhave^(K)none of Me.
¹²^(L)So I gave them over to^[c]their own stubborn heart,
To walk in their own counsels.

¹³“Oh,^(M)that My people would listen to Me,
That Israel would walk in My ways!
¹⁴I would soon subdue their enemies,
And turn My hand against their adversaries.
¹⁵^(N)The haters of theLordwould pretend submission to Him,
But their^[d]fate would endure forever.
¹⁶He would^(O)have fed them also with^[e]the finest of wheat;
And with honey^(P)from the rock I would have satisfied you.”