An Appeal for Israel’s Repentance

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

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

³ Blow the trumpet at the time of the New Moon,At the full moon, on our solemn feast day.⁴ For this is a statute for Israel,A law of the God of Jacob.⁵ This He established in Joseph as a testimony,When He went throughout the land of Egypt,Where I heard a language I did not understand.

⁶ “I removed his shoulder from the burden;His hands were freed from the baskets.⁷ You called in trouble, and I delivered you;I answered you in the secret place of thunder;I tested you at the waters of Meribah. Selah

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

¹¹ “But My people would not heed My voice,And Israel would have none of Me.¹² So I gave them over to their own stubborn heart,To walk in their own counsels.

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