UST PSA Chapter 81

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 worship!

2 Start playing the music, and beat the tambourines;

play nice music on the harps and lyres.

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

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

4 Do that because that is a decree for us Israelite people;

it is a command that God made for the descendants of Jacob.

5 He made it a law at the time when God led the descendants of Joseph out of the land of Egypt.

I heard a voice I did not recognize, and it said:

6 “After the rulers of Egypt forced you Israelites 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.

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

I wish that you Israelite 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 gods who brought you out of Egypt;

I am the one who did it!

So request what you want me to do for you, and I will do it.

11 But my people would not listen to me;

they would not obey me.

12 So because 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 Israelite people would behave as I want them to do.

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

I would strike dead those who are oppressing them.

15 Then all those who hate me would cringe before me,

and then I would punish them forever.

16 But I would give you Israelites very good wheat,

and I would fill your stomachs with wild honey.”