Psalm 81
1 Sing aloud unto God our strength: make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob.
1 Sing we merrily unto | God our | strength; ||
make a cheerful | noise un•to the | God of | Jacob. ||
2 Take a psalm, and bring hither the timbrel, the pleasant harp with the psaltery.
2 Take the psalm, bring | 3 hither the | tabret, ||
the | merry | harp • with the | lute. ||
3 Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast day.
3 Blow up the trumpet 3 in | the new | moon, ||
even in the time appointed, | and up•on our | solemn | feast-day. ||
4 For this was a statute for Israel, and a law of the God of Jacob.
4 For this was made a | 3 statute for | Isra•el, ||
and a | law • of the | God of | Jacob. ||
5 This he ordained in Joseph for a testimony, when he went out through the land of Egypt: where I heard a language that I understood not.
5 This he ordained in | Joseph • for a | testi•mony, ||
when he came out of the land of | Egypt, • and had | heard a • strange | language. ||
6 I removed his shoulder from the burden: his hands were delivered from the pots.
6 I eased his | shoulder • from the | burden, ||
and his hands were de- | 3 livered from | 3 making the | pots. ||
7 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.
7 Thou calledst upon me in troubles, and | I de- | livered • thee; ||
and heard thee what time as the storm fell upon thee. * 8 I proved thee | also • at the | waters • of | strife. ||
8 Hear, O my people, and I will testify unto thee: O Israel, if thou wilt hearken unto me;
9 There shall no strange god be in thee; neither shalt thou worship any strange god.
9 3 Hear, | O my | people; ||
and I will assure thee, O | Isra•el, | 3 if thou wilt | hearken • unto me, ||
10 I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.
10 There shall no | strange god | be in • thee, ||
neither shalt thou | worship • any | other | god. ||
11 But my people would not hearken to my voice; and Israel would none of me.
11 I am the Lord thy God, who brought thee out of the | land of | Egypt: ||
open thy mouth | wide, and | I shall | fill it. ||
12 So I gave them up unto their own hearts' lust: and they walked in their own counsels.
12 But my people would not | hear my | voice; ||
and | Isra•el | 3 would not o- | bey me; ||
13 Oh that my people had hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my ways!
13 So I gave them up unto their | own hearts' | lusts, ||
and let them | follow • their | own im•agin- | ations. ||
14 I should soon have subdued their enemies, and turned my hand against their adversaries.
14 O that my | people • would have | hearkened • unto me! ||
for if | Isra•el had | 3 walked in my | ways, ||
15 The haters of the Lord should have submitted themselves unto him: but their time should have endured for ever.
15 I should soon have put | down their | ene•mies, ||
and turned my | hand a- | gainst their | adver•saries. ||
16 He should have fed them also with the finest of the wheat: and with honey out of the rock should I have satisfied thee.
16 The haters of the Lord should have sub- | mitted • themselves | unto him; ||
but their | time • should have en- | dured for | ever. ||
17 I would have fed them also with the | finest | wheat-flour; ||
and with honey out of the stony | rock would | I have | satis•fied thee. ||
About the Pointing
The text of the Coverdale Psalter follows the 1928 American Book of Common Prayer. The pointing, suitably adapted, is taken from Charles Macpherson, Edward C. Bairstow, and Percy C. Buck, The English Psalter (Novello & Co., 1925).