Corpus Psalterium · Vol. IV
Psalm LXXXI (81)
Cantillated — Dialogical Proclamation
Paul Whitehorn
Study the Word
Psalm 81 in Hebrew and English, and the words as they are sung.
For the Chief Musician. On an instrument of Gath. By Asaph.
לַמְנַצֵּ֬חַ ׀ עַֽל־הַגִּתִּ֬ית לְאָסָֽף׃
Sing aloud to God, our strength! Make a joyful shout to the God of Jacob!
הַ֭רְנִינוּ לֵאלֹהִ֣ים עוּזֵּ֑נוּ הָ֝רִ֗יעוּ לֵאלֹהֵ֥י יַעֲקֹֽב׃
Raise a song, and bring here the tambourine, the pleasant lyre with the harp.
שְֽׂאוּ־זִ֭מְרָה וּתְנוּ־תֹ֑ף כִּנּ֖וֹר נָעִ֣ים עִם־נָֽבֶל׃
Blow the trumpet at the New Moon, at the full moon, on our feast day.
תִּקְע֣וּ בַחֹ֣דֶשׁ שׁוֹפָ֑ר בַּ֝כֵּ֗סֶה לְי֣וֹם חַגֵּֽנוּ׃
For it is a statute for Israel, an ordinance of the God of Jacob.
כִּ֤י חֹ֣ק לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל ה֑וּא מִ֝שְׁפָּ֗ט לֵאלֹהֵ֥י יַעֲקֹֽב׃
He appointed it in Joseph for a covenant, when he went out over the land of Egypt, I heard a language that I didn’t know.
עֵ֤דוּת ׀ בִּֽיה֘וֹסֵ֤ף שָׂמ֗וֹ בְּ֭צֵאתוֹ עַל־אֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם שְׂפַ֖ת לֹא־יָדַ֣עְתִּי אֶשְׁמָֽע׃
“I removed his shoulder from the burden. His hands were freed from the basket.
הֲסִיר֣וֹתִי מִסֵּ֣בֶל שִׁכְמ֑וֹ כַּ֝פָּ֗יו מִדּ֥וּד תַּעֲבֹֽרְנָה׃
You called in trouble, and I delivered you. I answered you in the secret place of thunder. I tested you at the waters of Meribah.” Selah.
בַּצָּרָ֥ה קָרָ֗אתָ וָאֲחַ֫לְּצֶ֥ךָּ אֶ֭עֶנְךָ בְּסֵ֣תֶר רַ֑עַם אֶבְחָֽנְךָ֨ עַל־מֵ֖י מְרִיבָ֣ה סֶֽלָה׃
“Hear, my people, and I will testify to you, Israel, if you would listen to me!
שְׁמַ֣ע עַ֭מִּי וְאָעִ֣ידָה בָּ֑ךְ יִ֝שְׂרָאֵ֗ל אִם־תִּֽשְׁמַֽע־לִֽי׃
There shall be no strange god in you, neither shall you worship any foreign god.
לֹֽא־יִהְיֶ֣ה בְ֭ךָ אֵ֣ל זָ֑ר וְלֹ֥א תִ֝שְׁתַּחֲוֶ֗ה לְאֵ֣ל נֵכָֽר׃
I am Yahweh, your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.
אָנֹכִ֨י ׀ יְה֘וָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָ הַֽ֭מַּעַלְךָ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם הַרְחֶב־פִּ֝֗יךָ וַאֲמַלְאֵֽהוּ׃
But my people didn’t listen to my voice. Israel desired none of me.
וְלֹא־שָׁמַ֣ע עַמִּ֣י לְקוֹלִ֑י וְ֝יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל לֹא־אָ֥בָה לִֽי׃
So I let them go after the stubbornness of their hearts, that they might walk in their own counsels.
וָֽ֭אֲשַׁלְּחֵהוּ בִּשְׁרִיר֣וּת לִבָּ֑ם יֵ֝לְכ֗וּ בְּֽמוֹעֲצוֹתֵיהֶֽם׃
Oh that my people would listen to me, that Israel would walk in my ways!
ל֗וּ עַ֭מִּי שֹׁמֵ֣עַֽ לִ֑י יִ֝שְׂרָאֵ֗ל בִּדְרָכַ֥י יְהַלֵּֽכוּ׃
I would soon subdue their enemies, and turn my hand against their adversaries.
כִּ֭מְעַט אוֹיְבֵיהֶ֣ם אַכְנִ֑יעַ וְעַ֥ל צָ֝רֵיהֶ֗ם אָשִׁ֥יב יָדִֽי׃
The haters of Yahweh would cringe before him, and their punishment would last forever.
מְשַׂנְאֵ֣י יְ֭הוָה יְכַֽחֲשׁוּ־ל֑וֹ וִיהִ֖י עִתָּ֣ם לְעוֹלָֽם׃
But he would have also fed them with the finest of the wheat. I will satisfy you with honey out of the rock.”
וַֽ֭יַּאֲכִילֵהוּ מֵחֵ֣לֶב חִטָּ֑ה וּ֝מִצּ֗וּר דְּבַ֣שׁ אַשְׂבִּיעֶֽךָ׃
Hebrew: Westminster Leningrad Codex (public domain), from the Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible. English: World English Bible (public domain). Verse numbers follow the English Bible; the Hebrew numbering is shown beneath where it differs.
Sing out
to God our strength
Shout
to the God of Jacob
Lift a song
strike the drum
sweet lyre
with the harp
Blow the trumpet
at the new moon
at the full moon
on our feast day
For this is a statute
for Israel
a decree
of the God of Jacob
Sing aloud
sing aloud
shout to God
our strength
Sing aloud
sing aloud
shout to God
our King
He made it a testimony
in Joseph
when He went out
over Egypt
I removed the burden
from your shoulder
your hands
were freed from the basket
You called
in trouble
and I delivered you
I answered you
in the secret of thunder
I tested you
at the waters
Hear, O My people
and I will testify
Israel
if you would listen
Listen now
listen now
hear the voice
of your God
Listen now
listen now
do not turn away
There shall be
no strange god
You shall not bow
to a foreign god
I am the Lord your God
who brought you up
from Egypt
Open your mouth wide
and I will fill it
But My people
did not listen
Israel
would not obey
So I gave them over
to their stubborn hearts
they walked
in their own counsel
Oh that My people
would listen to Me
that Israel
would walk in My ways
Soon I would subdue
their enemies
I would turn My hand
against their foes
Those who hate the Lord
would cringe before Him
their time
would endure forever
Sing aloud
sing aloud
shout to God
our strength
Sing aloud
sing aloud
He alone
is our King
He would feed you
with the finest wheat
from the rock
with honey
He would satisfy you
He would satisfy you
Hear His voice
do not harden
Hear His voice
and live
Sing aloud
to God our strength
Lyrics by Paul Whitehorn: a singable English rendering of the Hebrew, as sung on this recording.
Corpus Psalterium sets each psalm to music by its Hebrew grammar. Didactic psalms teach; Cantillated psalms are spoken, sung or performed before God. Hear all 150 psalms free.