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(By Asaph for the music leader.[a])

God Makes Us Strong

Be happy and shout to God
    who makes us strong!
Shout praises to the God
    of Jacob.
Sing as you play tambourines
and the lovely sounding
    stringed instruments.
(A) Sound the trumpets and start
    the New Moon Festival.[b]
We must also celebrate
    when the moon is full.
This is the law in Israel,
and it was given to us
    by the God of Jacob.
The descendants of Joseph
    were told to obey it,
when God led them out
    from the land of Egypt.

In a voice unknown to me,
    I heard someone say:
“I lifted the burden
    from your shoulder
and took the heavy basket
    from your hands.
(B) When you were in trouble,
    I rescued you,
and from the thunderclouds,
    I answered your prayers.
Later I tested you
    at Meribah Spring.[c]

“Listen, my people,
while I, the Lord,
    correct you!
Israel, if you would only
    pay attention to me!
(C) Don't worship foreign gods
or bow down to gods
    you know nothing about.
10 I am the Lord your God.
    I rescued you from Egypt.
Just ask, and I will give you
    whatever you need.

11 “But, my people, Israel,
    you refused to listen,
and you would have nothing
    to do with me!
12 So I let you be stubborn
and keep on following
    your own advice.

13 “My people, Israel,
if only you would listen
    and do as I say!
14 I, the Lord, would quickly
defeat your enemies
    with my mighty power.
15 Everyone who hates me
    would come crawling,
and that would be the end
    of them.
16 But I would feed you
    with the finest bread
and with the best honey[d]
    until you were full.”

(A psalm by Asaph.)

Please Do Something, God!

When all the other gods[e]
    have come together,
the Lord God judges them
    and says:
“How long will you
keep judging unfairly
    and favoring evil people?
Be fair to the poor
    and to orphans.
Defend the helpless
    and everyone in need.
Rescue the weak and homeless
from the powerful hands
    of heartless people.

“None of you know
    or understand a thing.
You live in darkness,
while the foundations
    of the earth tremble.[f]

(D) “I, the Most High God, say
that all of you are gods[g]
    and also my own children.
But you will die,
just like everyone else,
    including powerful rulers.”

Do something, God!
Judge the nations of the earth;
    they belong to you.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 81 leader: See the note at Psalm 8.
  2. 81.3 New Moon Festival: Celebrated on the first day of each new moon, which was the beginning of the month. But this may refer to either the New Year celebration or the Harvest Festival. “The moon is full” suggests a festival in the middle of the month.
  3. 81.7 Meribah Spring: When the people of Israel complained to Moses about the need for water, God commanded Moses to strike a rock with his walking stick, and water came out. The place was then named Massah (“test”) and Meribah (“complaining”).
  4. 81.16 the best honey: The Hebrew text has “honey from rocks,” referring to honey taken from beehives in holes or cracks in large rocks.
  5. 82.1 the other gods: This probably refers to the gods of the nations that God defeated, but it could refer to God's servants (angels) in heaven or even to human rulers.
  6. 82.5 foundations … tremble: In ancient times it was believed that the earth was flat and supported by columns.
  7. 82.6 all of you are gods: See the note at 82.1.

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