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Psalms 81

A Song for a Festival

1Shout for joy to God our defender;

sing praise to the God of Jacob!

2Start the music and beat the tambourines;

play pleasant music on the harps and the lyres.

3Blow the trumpet for the festival,

when the moon is new and when the moon is full.

4This is the law in Israel,

an order from the God of Jacob.

5He gave it to the people of Israel

when he attacked the land of Egypt.

Notes for verses 1–51 entry

Cross-references

I hear an unknown voice saying,

6“I took the burdens off your backs;

I let you put down your loads of bricks.

7When you were in trouble, you called to me, and I saved you.

From my hiding place in the storm, I answered you.

I put you to the test at the springs of Meribah.

8Listen, my people, to my warning;

Israel, how I wish you would listen to me!

9You must never worship another god.

10I am the LORD your God,

who brought you out of Egypt.

Open your mouth, and I will feed you.

Notes for verses 5–102 entries

Cross-references

11“But my people would not listen to me;

Israel would not obey me.

12So I let them go their stubborn ways

and do whatever they wanted.

13How I wish my people would listen to me;

how I wish they would obey me!

14I would quickly defeat their enemies

and conquer all their foes.

15Those who hate me would bow in fear before me;

their punishment would last for ever.

16But I would feed you with the finest wheat

and satisfy you with wild honey.”

CopyrightGood News Translation® with Deuterocanonicals/Apocrypha (Today’s English Version, Second Edition) © 1992 American Bible Society. All rights reserved. Anglicisation © The British and Foreign Bible Society 1976, 1994, 2004 Additional material © The British and Foreign Bible Society 2017 The copyright for the derivative work of Anglicisation pertains only to the text within the Good News Translation (GNT) that British and Foreign Bible Society adapted for British literary usage, consistent with Section 103(b) of the United States Copyright Act, 17 U.S.C. § 103(b). Bible text from the Good News Translation (GNT) is not to be reproduced in copies or otherwise by any means except as permitted in writing by American Bible Society, 101 North Independence Mall East, Floor 8, Philadelphia, PA 19106-2155 (www.americanbible.org). All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.