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Psalms

A collection of songs and prayers expressing a wide range of emotions and thoughts on faith.

Chapter 81

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1 Sing aloud unto God our strength: make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob.

*Sing loudly to our strong God: happily shout to the God of .

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

*Bring the tambourine and the lovely harp along with the psaltery for the song.

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

*Blow the trumpet during the beginning of each month, at the set time, for our special holiday.

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

*This rule was made for Israel and is a law from the God of Jacob.

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.

*God planned this through Joseph as proof, when he traveled in Egypt's land: there I heard a language I didn't understand.

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

*I took away his heavy load from his shoulder, and freed his hands from the pots.

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.

*You cried for help during hard times, and I saved you. I spoke to you in a hidden place where thunder sounds, and I tested you at a special water place called Meribah. Take a moment to think about that.

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

*Listen, my people, and I will tell you: Israel, if you pay attention to me.

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

*You should not have any foreign gods; and you must not worship any foreign gods.

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.

*I am your God, who saved you from Egypt. Open your mouth, and I will give you plenty.

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

*But my people didn't listen to my words; and Israel didn't want anything to do with me.

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

*So I let them follow their desires: and they did what they wanted, following their own plans.

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

*Oh, if my people had listened to me, and Israel followed my path!

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

*I will quickly defeat their enemies and then fight their opponents.

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

*Enemies of God should have obeyed Him; instead, they will last forever.

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.

*He should have given them the best wheat to eat, and I would have given you honey from the rock to satisfy you.

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