Psalm 81
Words: Brady and Tate, A New Version of the Psalms of David
1 To God, our never-failing strength,
with loud applauses sing;
And jointly make a cheerful noise
to Jacob's awful King.
2 Compose a hymn of praise, and touch
your instruments of joy
Let psalteries and pleasant harps
your grateful skill employ.
3 Let trumpets at the great new moon
their joyful voices raise,
To celebrate th' appointed time,
the solemn day of praise.
4 For this a statute was of old,
which Jacob's God decreed.
To be with pious care observed
by Israel's chosen seed.
5 This he for a memorial fixed,
when freed from Egypt's land;
Strange nations' barb'rous speech we heard,
but could not understand.
6 "Your burdened shoulders I relieved,
(thus seems our God to say,)
Your servile hands by me were freed
from lab'ring in the clay.
7 "Your ancestors, with wrongs oppressed,
to me for aid did call;
With pity I their suff'rings saw,
and set them free from all.
"They sought for me, and from the cloud
in thunder I replied;
At Meriba's contentious stream
their faith and duty tried.
The Second Part
8 "While I my solemn will declared,
my chosen people, hear:
if thou, O Israel, to my words
wilt lend thy list'ning ear;
9 "Then shall no god besides myself
within thy coasts be found;
Nor shalt thou worship any god
of all the nations round.
10 "The Lord thy God am I, who thee
brought forth from Egypt's land:
Tis I that all thy just desires
supply with lib'ral hand."
11 But they, my chosen race, refused
to hearken to my voice;
Nor would rebellious Israel's sons
make me their happy choice.
12 So I, provoked, resigned them up
to every lust a prey,
And in their own perverse designs
permitted them to stray.
13 O that my people wisely would
my just commandments heed!
And Israel in my righteous ways
with pious care proceed!
14 Then should my heavy judgements fall
on all that them o9ppose,
And my avenging hand be turned
against their num'rous foes.
15 Their enemies and mine should all
before my footstool bend;
But as for them, their happy state
should never know an end.
16 All parts with plenty should abound;
with finest wheat their field:
The barren rocks, to please their taste,
should richest honey yield.
