God's Appeal to Stubborn Israel

 

 

Psalm 81

 

 

1 To him that excelleth upon Gittith. A Psalm committed to Asaph. Sing joyfully unto God our strength; sing loud unto the God of Jacob.

 

2 Take the song and bring forth the timbrel, the pleasant harp with the viol.

 

3 Blow the trumpet in the new moon, even in the time appointed, at our feast day.

 

4 For this is a statute for Israel, and a Law of the God of Jacob.

 

5 He set this in Joseph for a testimony, when he came out of the land of Egypt, where I heard a language, that I understood not.

 

6 I have withdrawn his shoulder from the burden, and his hands have left the pots.

 

7 Thou calledst in affliction and I delivered thee, and answered thee in the secret of the thunder; I proved thee at the waters of Meribah. Selah.

 

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

 

9 Let there be no strange god in thee, neither worship thou any strange god.

 

10 For I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt; Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it.

 

11 But my people would not hear my voice, and Israel would none of me.

 

12 So I gave them up unto the hardness of their heart, and they have walked in their own counsels.

 

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

 

14 I would soon have humbled their enemies, and turned my hand against their adversaries.

 

15 The haters of the LORD should have been subject unto him, and their time should have endured forever.

 

16 And God would have fed them with the fat of wheat, and with honey out of the rock would I have sufficed thee.