A psalm written by Asaph for the choir director

81 Sing songs to praise God, who enables us to be strong when we fight our enemies;

shout joyfully to God, whom we ◄descendants of Jacob/Israeli people► worship!

2 Start playing the music, and beat the tambourines,

and play nice music on the harps and ◄lyres/other stringed instruments►.

3 Blow the trumpets during the festival to celebrate each new moon

and each time the moon is full and during our other festivals.

4 Do that because that is a law for us Israeli people;

God commanded it for us descendants of Jacob.

5 He commanded us Israeli people to obey it when he punished the people of Egypt.

I heard someone [MTY] whose voice I did not recognize, saying,

6 “After the rulers of Egypt forced you Israelis to work as slaves,

I took those heavy burdens off your backs,

and I enabled you to lay down those heavy baskets of bricks that you were carrying.

7 When you were greatly distressed, you called out to me, and I rescued you;

I answered you out of a thundercloud.

Later I tested whether you would trust me to give you water when you were in the desert at Meribah.

(Think about that!)

8 You who are my people, listen while I warn you!

I wish that you Israeli people would pay attention to what I say to you!

9 You must not have any idols of other gods among you;

you must never bow to worship any of them!

10 I am Yahweh, your God;

It was not any of those other gods who brought you out of Egypt,

I am the one who did it!

So ask me what you want me to do for you [MTY], and I will do it.

11 But my people would not listen to me [SYN];

they would not obey me.

12 So even though they were very stubborn,

I allowed them to do whatever they wanted to do.

13 I wish that my people would listen to me,

that the Israeli people would behave as I want them to do.

14 If they did that, I would quickly defeat their enemies;

I would strike/punish all of them [DOU].

15 Then all those who hate me would ◄cringe before/bow down to► me,

and then I would punish them [MTY] forever.

16 But I would give you Israelis very good wheat/grain,

and I would fill your stomachs with wild honey.”