Psalm 81[a]

For the director of music. According to gittith.[b] Of Asaph.

Sing for joy to God our strength;
    shout aloud to the God of Jacob!(A)
Begin the music, strike the timbrel,(B)
    play the melodious harp(C) and lyre.(D)

Sound the ram’s horn(E) at the New Moon,(F)
    and when the moon is full, on the day of our festival;
this is a decree for Israel,
    an ordinance of the God of Jacob.(G)
When God went out against Egypt,(H)
    he established it as a statute for Joseph.

I heard an unknown voice say:(I)

“I removed the burden(J) from their shoulders;(K)
    their hands were set free from the basket.
In your distress you called(L) and I rescued you,
    I answered(M) you out of a thundercloud;
    I tested you at the waters of Meribah.[c](N)
Hear me, my people,(O) and I will warn you—
    if you would only listen to me, Israel!
You shall have no foreign god(P) among you;
    you shall not worship any god other than me.
10 I am the Lord your God,
    who brought you up out of Egypt.(Q)
Open(R) wide your mouth and I will fill(S) it.

11 “But my people would not listen to me;
    Israel would not submit to me.(T)
12 So I gave them over(U) to their stubborn hearts
    to follow their own devices.

13 “If my people would only listen to me,(V)
    if Israel would only follow my ways,
14 how quickly I would subdue(W) their enemies
    and turn my hand against(X) their foes!
15 Those who hate the Lord would cringe(Y) before him,
    and their punishment would last forever.
16 But you would be fed with the finest of wheat;(Z)
    with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”

Psalm 82

A psalm of Asaph.

God presides in the great assembly;
    he renders judgment(AA) among the “gods”:(AB)

“How long will you[d] defend the unjust
    and show partiality(AC) to the wicked?[e](AD)
Defend the weak and the fatherless;(AE)
    uphold the cause of the poor(AF) and the oppressed.
Rescue the weak and the needy;
    deliver them from the hand of the wicked.

“The ‘gods’ know nothing, they understand nothing.(AG)
    They walk about in darkness;(AH)
    all the foundations(AI) of the earth are shaken.

“I said, ‘You are “gods”;(AJ)
    you are all sons of the Most High.’
But you will die(AK) like mere mortals;
    you will fall like every other ruler.”

Rise up,(AL) O God, judge(AM) the earth,
    for all the nations are your inheritance.(AN)

Psalm 83[f]

A song. A psalm of Asaph.

O God, do not remain silent;(AO)
    do not turn a deaf ear,
    do not stand aloof, O God.
See how your enemies growl,(AP)
    how your foes rear their heads.(AQ)
With cunning they conspire(AR) against your people;
    they plot against those you cherish.(AS)
“Come,” they say, “let us destroy(AT) them as a nation,(AU)
    so that Israel’s name is remembered(AV) no more.”

With one mind they plot together;(AW)
    they form an alliance against you—
the tents of Edom(AX) and the Ishmaelites,
    of Moab(AY) and the Hagrites,(AZ)
Byblos,(BA) Ammon(BB) and Amalek,(BC)
    Philistia,(BD) with the people of Tyre.(BE)
Even Assyria(BF) has joined them
    to reinforce Lot’s descendants.[g](BG)

Do to them as you did to Midian,(BH)
    as you did to Sisera(BI) and Jabin(BJ) at the river Kishon,(BK)
10 who perished at Endor(BL)
    and became like dung(BM) on the ground.
11 Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb,(BN)
    all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,(BO)
12 who said, “Let us take possession(BP)
    of the pasturelands of God.”

13 Make them like tumbleweed, my God,
    like chaff(BQ) before the wind.
14 As fire consumes the forest
    or a flame sets the mountains ablaze,(BR)
15 so pursue them with your tempest(BS)
    and terrify them with your storm.(BT)
16 Cover their faces with shame,(BU) Lord,
    so that they will seek your name.

17 May they ever be ashamed and dismayed;(BV)
    may they perish in disgrace.(BW)
18 Let them know that you, whose name is the Lord(BX)
    that you alone are the Most High(BY) over all the earth.(BZ)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 81:1 In Hebrew texts 81:1-16 is numbered 81:2-17.
  2. Psalm 81:1 Title: Probably a musical term
  3. Psalm 81:7 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.
  4. Psalm 82:2 The Hebrew is plural.
  5. Psalm 82:2 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.
  6. Psalm 83:1 In Hebrew texts 83:1-18 is numbered 83:2-19.
  7. Psalm 83:8 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.

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