Psalms 81:6-16 - Compare All Versions

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“I removed the burden from their shoulders; their hands were set free from the basket. In your distress you called and I rescued you, I answered you out of a thundercloud; I tested you at the waters of Meribah. Hear me, my people, and I will warn you— if you would only listen to me, Israel! You shall have no foreign god among you; you shall not worship any god other than me. I am the LORD your God, who brought you up out of Egypt. Open wide your mouth and I will fill it. “But my people would not listen to me; Israel would not submit to me. So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts to follow their own devices. “If my people would only listen to me, if Israel would only follow my ways, how quickly I would subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their foes! Those who hate the LORD would cringe before him, and their punishment would last forever. But you would be fed with the finest of wheat; with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”

“I relieved your shoulder of the burden; your hands were freed from the basket. In distress you called, and I delivered you; I answered you in the secret place of thunder; I tested you at the waters of Meribah. Selah Hear, O my people, while I admonish you! O Israel, if you would but listen to me! There shall be no strange god among you; you shall not bow down to a foreign god. I am the LORD your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it. “But my people did not listen to my voice; Israel would not submit to me. So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts, to follow their own counsels. Oh, that my people would listen to me, that Israel would walk in my ways! I would soon subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their foes. Those who hate the LORD would cringe toward him, and their fate would last forever. But he would feed you with the finest of the wheat, and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”

“Now I will take the load from your shoulders; I will free your hands from their heavy tasks. You cried to me in trouble, and I saved you; I answered out of the thundercloud and tested your faith when there was no water at Meribah. Interlude “Listen to me, O my people, while I give you stern warnings. O Israel, if you would only listen to me! You must never have a foreign god; you must not bow down before a false god. For it was I, the LORD your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it with good things. “But no, my people wouldn’t listen. Israel did not want me around. So I let them follow their own stubborn desires, living according to their own ideas. Oh, that my people would listen to me! Oh, that Israel would follow me, walking in my paths! How quickly I would then subdue their enemies! How soon my hands would be upon their foes! Those who hate the LORD would cringe before him; they would be doomed forever. But I would feed you with the finest wheat. I would satisfy you with wild honey from the rock.”

“I relieved his shoulder from the burden; his hands were freed from carrying the basket.  You called out in distress, and I rescued you; I answered you from the thundercloud.  I tested you at the Waters of Meribah.  Selah Listen, my people, and I will admonish you. Israel, if you would only listen to me!  There must not be a strange god among you; you must not bow down to a foreign god.  I am the LORD  your God, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.  Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.  “But my people did not listen to my voice; Israel did not obey me.  So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts to follow their own plans.  If only my people would listen to me and Israel would follow my ways,  I would quickly subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their foes.”  Those who hate the  LORD would cower to him;  their doom would last forever.  But he would feed Israel  with the best wheat. “I would satisfy you with honey from the rock.”

I removed his shoulder from the burden: His hands were delivered from the pots. Thou calledst in trouble, and I delivered thee; I answered thee in the secret place of thunder: I proved thee At the waters of Meribah. Selah. Hear, O my people, and I will testify unto thee: O Israel, if thou wilt hearken unto me; There shall no strange god be in thee; Neither shalt thou worship any strange god. I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it. But my people would not hearken to my voice; And Israel would none of me. So I gave them up unto their own hearts' lust: And they walked in their own counsels. Oh that my people had hearkened unto me, And Israel had walked in my ways! I should soon have subdued their enemies, And turned my hand against their adversaries. The haters of the LORD should have submitted themselves unto him: But their time should have endured for ever. He should have fed them also with the finest of the wheat: And with honey out of the rock should I have satisfied thee.

“I removed his shoulder from the burden; His hands were freed from the baskets. 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 “Hear, O My people, and I will admonish you! O Israel, if you will listen to Me! There shall be no foreign god among you; Nor shall you worship any foreign god. I am the LORD your God, Who brought you out of the land of Egypt; Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it. “But My people would not heed My voice, And Israel would have none of Me. So I gave them over to their own stubborn heart, To walk in their own counsels. “Oh, that My people would listen to Me, That Israel would walk in My ways! I would soon subdue their enemies, And turn My hand against their adversaries. The haters of the LORD would pretend submission to Him, But their fate would endure forever. He would have fed them also with the finest of wheat; And with honey from the rock I would have satisfied you.”

“I took the world off your shoulders, freed you from a life of hard labor. You called to me in your pain; I got you out of a bad place. I answered you from where the thunder hides, I proved you at Meribah Fountain. “Listen, dear ones—get this straight; O Israel, don’t take this lightly. Don’t take up with strange gods, don’t worship the popular gods. I’m GOD, your God, the very God who rescued you from doom in Egypt, Then fed you all you could eat, filled your hungry stomachs. “But my people didn’t listen, Israel paid no attention; So I let go of the reins and told them, ‘Run! Do it your own way!’ “Oh, dear people, will you listen to me now? Israel, will you follow my map? I’ll make short work of your enemies, give your foes the back of my hand. I’ll send the GOD-haters cringing like dogs, never to be heard from again. You’ll feast on my fresh-baked bread spread with butter and rock-pure honey.”

¶“I relieved his shoulder of the burden, His hands were freed from the basket. “You called in trouble and I rescued you; I answered you in the hiding place of thunder; I put you to the test at the waters of Meribah. Selah “Hear, My people, and I will admonish you; Israel, if you would listen to Me! “There shall be no strange god among you; Nor shall you worship a foreign god. “I, the LORD, am your God, Who brought you up from the land of Egypt; Open your mouth wide and I will fill it. ¶“But My people did not listen to My voice, And Israel did not obey Me. “So I gave them over to the stubbornness of their heart, To walk by their own plans. “Oh that My people would listen to Me, That Israel would walk in My ways! “I would quickly subdue their enemies And turn My hand against their adversaries. “Those who hate the LORD would pretend to obey Him, And their time of punishment would be forever. “But I would feed you with the finest of the wheat, And with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”

¶“I removed the burden from his shoulder; His hands were freed from the basket. “You called in [the time of] trouble and I rescued you; I answered you in the secret place of thunder; I tested you at the waters of Meribah. [Num 20:3, 13, 24] Selah. “Hear, O My people, and I will admonish you— O Israel, if you would listen to Me! “Let there be no strange god among you, Nor shall you worship any foreign god. “I am the LORD your God, Who brought you up from the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide and I will fill it. ¶“But My people would not listen to My voice, And Israel did not [consent to] obey Me. “So I gave them up to the stubbornness of their heart, To walk in [the path of] their own counsel. [Acts 7:42, 43; 14:16; Rom 1:24, 26] “Oh, that My people would listen to Me, That Israel would walk in My ways! “Then I would quickly subdue and humble their enemies And turn My hand against their adversaries; Those who hate the LORD would pretend obedience to Him and cringe before Him, And their time of punishment would be forever. “But I would feed Israel with the finest of the wheat; And with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”

It said: “I removed the burden from his shoulder; his hands were released from holding the basket. In your distress you called out and I rescued you. I answered you from a dark thundercloud. I tested you at the waters of Meribah. (Selah) I said, ‘Listen, my people! I will warn you! O Israel, if only you would obey me! There must be no other god among you. You must not worship a foreign god. I am the LORD, your God, the one who brought you out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide and I will fill it!’ But my people did not obey me; Israel did not submit to me. I gave them over to their stubborn desires; they did what seemed right to them. If only my people would obey me! If only Israel would keep my commands! Then I would quickly subdue their enemies, and attack their adversaries.” (May those who hate the LORD cower in fear before him! May they be permanently humiliated!) “I would feed Israel the best wheat, and would satisfy your appetite with honey from the rocky cliffs.”