Psalms 81

KING JAMES BIBLE	NEW JERUSALEM
1 Sing aloud unto God our strength: make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob.	1 [For the choirmaster On the . . . of Gath Of Asaph] Sing for joy to God our strength, shout in triumph tothe God of Jacob.
2 Take a psalm, and bring hither the timbrel, the pleasant harp with the psaltery.	2 Strike up the music, beat the tambourine, play the melodious harp and the lyre;
3 Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast day.	3 blow the trumpet for the new month, for the ful moon, for our feast day!
4 For this was a statute for Israel, and a law of the God of Jacob.	4 For Israel has this statute, a decision of 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.	5 a decree he imposed on Joseph, when he went to war against Egypt. I heard a voice unknown to me,
6 I removed his shoulder from the burden: his hands were delivered from the pots.	6 'I freed his shoulder from the burden, his hands were able to lay aside the labourer's basket.
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.	7 You cried out in your distress, so I rescued you. 'Hidden in the storm, I answered you, I tested you atthe waters of Meribah.Pause
8 Hear, O my people, and I will testify unto thee: O Israel, if thou wilt hearken unto me;	8 Listen, my people, while I give you warning; Israel, if only you would listen to me!
9 There shall no strange god be in thee; neither shalt thou worship any strange god.	9 'You shal have no strange gods, shall worship no alien god.
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.	10 I, Yahweh, am your God, who brought you here from Egypt, you have only to open your mouth forme to fil it.
11 But my people would not hearken to my voice; and Israel would none of me.	11 'My people would not listen to me, Israel would have none of me.
12 So I gave them up unto their own hearts' lust: and they walked in their own counsels.	12 So I left them to their stubborn selves, to fol ow their own devices.
13 Oh that my people had hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my ways!	13 'If only my people would listen to me, if only Israel would walk in my ways,
14 I should soon have subdued their enemies, and turned my hand against their adversaries.	14 at one stroke I would subdue their enemies, turn my hand against their opponents.
15 The haters of the LORD should have submitted themselves unto him: but their time should have endured for ever.	15 'Those who hate Yahweh would woo his favour, though their doom was sealed for ever,
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.	16 while I would feed him on pure wheat, would give you your fil of honey from the rock.'