Psalm 81 (Tate & Brady)

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.