Psalm 81

HCSB

Psalm 81

A Call to Obedience

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1} For the choir director: on the Gittith. Of Asaph.^(A)

Sing for joy to God our strength;
shout in triumph to the God of Jacob.^(B)

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Lift up a song—play the tambourine,
the melodious lyre, and the harp.^(C)

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Blow the horn on the day of our feasts^(a)^(b)
during the new moon^(D)
and during the full moon.

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For this is a statute for Israel,
a judgment of the God of Jacob.^(E)

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He set it up as an ordinance for Joseph
when He went throughout^(c) the land of Egypt.^(F)

I heard an unfamiliar language:

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“I relieved his shoulder from the burden;
his hands were freed from carrying the basket.^(G)

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You called out in distress, and I rescued you;
I answered you from the thundercloud.^(H)
I tested you at the waters of Meribah.^(I)Selah

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Listen, My people, and I will admonish you.
Israel, if you would only listen to Me!^(J)

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There must not be a strange god among you;
you must not bow down to a foreign god.^(K)

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I am Yahweh your God,
who brought you up from the land of Egypt.^(L)
Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.^(M)

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“But My people did not listen to Me;
Israel did not obey Me.^(N)

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So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts
to follow their own plans.^(O)

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If only My people would listen to Me
and Israel would follow My ways,^(P)

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I would quickly subdue their enemies
and turn My hand against their foes.”^(Q)

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Those who hate the Lord
would pretend submission to Him;^(R)
their doom would last forever.^(S)

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But He would feed Israel^(d) with the best wheat.
“I would satisfy you with honey from the rock.”^(T)

Footnotes:

a. Psalm 81:3: Lit feast

b. Psalm 81:3: Either Passover or Tabernacles

c. Psalm 81:5: LXX, Syr, Jer read out of

d. Psalm 81:16: Lit him

Cross references:

B. Psalm 81:1: Psalm 59:16; Psalm 95:1-2; Psalm 98:4

C. Psalm 81:2: Psalm 33:2; Psalm 71:22; Psalm 92:3

D. Psalm 81:3: Leviticus 23:24; Numbers 10:10; Numbers 29:1

E. Psalm 81:4: 1 Chronicles 16:17; Psalm 105:10

F. Psalm 81:5: Psalm 78:5; Psalm 122:4

G. Psalm 81:6: Isaiah 9:4; Isaiah 10:27

H. Psalm 81:7: Exodus 14:24; Exodus 20:18-20

I. Psalm 81:7: Exodus 17:1-7; Numbers 20:2-13

J. Psalm 81:8: Psalm 50:7

K. Psalm 81:9: Exodus 20:3-5; Exodus 22:20; Exodus 34:14

L. Psalm 81:10: Exodus 20:2; Deuteronomy 5:6

M. Psalm 81:10: Psalm 78:25; Psalm 107:9

N. Psalm 81:11: Jeremiah 7:24; Jeremiah 13:10

O. Psalm 81:12: Job 8:4; Jeremiah 11:8

P. Psalm 81:13: Deuteronomy 5:29; Isaiah 48:18

Q. Psalm 81:14: Psalm 18:47; Psalm 47:3; Amos 1:8

R. Psalm 81:15: Psalm 18:44; Psalm 66:3

S. Psalm 81:15: Deuteronomy 32:35

T. Psalm 81:16: Numbers 18:12; Deuteronomy 32:13-14; Psalm 147:14