Psalm 81

Melody

Sing a psalm of joy;
shout with holy fervour.
All your skills employ;
with your heart and soul
Jacob’s God extol.
He is our preserver.
O all Israel,
voice your jubilation.
Let your music swell;
harp and timbrel play.
Show in every way
joy and exultation.
With the trumpet’s tune
herald, in due season,
feast-days of the moon.
Let its echo sound.
To let joy abound
God gives every reason.
Keep by God’s command
your commemoration.
When in Egypt’s land
captive Israel
did in bondage dwell,
he gave liberation.
“When you served as slaves
of the ruthless Pharaoh,
I, the God who saves,
listened to your plea
and I set you free
from distress and sorrow.
“In a thundercloud
I, the LORD, addressed you;
my support I vowed,
and you also saw
how at Meribah
I was there to test you.
“O my people, hear!
Let my warnings reach you.
My commandsrevere!
Would you but obey,
not to evil stray.
Listen as I teach you.
“You shall not bow down
showing veneration
to mere gods of stone.
You shall hate and flee
the idolatry
of the heathen nations.
“I, LORD God of truth,
I from Egypt freed you.
Open wide your mouth;
put your trust in me.
Know that I am he
who will richly feed you.
“By their wilful choice
they my love rejected;
they ignored my voice.
Israel did not
heed what they were taught.
They my law neglected.
“To their stubborn way
Isr’el I surrendered.
Would they but obey
and return to me!
O then I would be
truly their defender!
“Then I would in haste
Israel deliver.
I would soon lay waste
the oppressor’s land
and with mighty hand
thwart the foe’s endeavour.
“As their just reward,
all the hostile nations
who despise the LORD
would before his face
cringe in their disgrace
and humiliation.
“With abundance I
Israel would nourish.
You I would supply
with the finest wheat,
honey pure and sweet.
Israel would flourish!”