(By Asaph for the music leader. )
God Makes Us Strong
1 Be happy and shout to God
who makes us strong!
Shout praises to the God
of Jacob.
2 Sing as you play tambourines
and the lovely sounding
stringed instruments.
3 Sound the trumpets and start
the New Moon Festival.
We must also celebrate
when the moon is full.
4 This is the law in Israel,
and it was given to us
by the God of Jacob.
5 The descendants of Joseph
were told to obey it,
when God led them out
from the land of Egypt.
In a voice unknown to me,
I heard someone say:
6 “I lifted the burden
from your shoulder
and took the heavy basket
from your hands.
7 When you were in trouble,
I rescued you,
and from the thunderclouds,
I answered your prayers.
Later I tested you
at Meribah Spring.
8 “Listen, my people,
while I, the Lord,
correct you!
Israel, if you would only
pay attention to me!
9 Don't worship foreign gods
or bow down to gods
you know nothing about.
10 I am the Lord your God.
I rescued you from Egypt.
Just ask, and I will give you
whatever you need.
11 “But, my people, Israel,
you refused to listen,
and you would have nothing
to do with me!
12 So I let you be stubborn
and keep on following
your own advice.
13 “My people, Israel,
if only you would listen
and do as I say!
14 I, the Lord, would quickly
defeat your enemies
with my mighty power.
15 Everyone who hates me
would come crawling,
and that would be the end
of them.
16 But I would feed you
with the finest bread
and with the best honey
until you were full.”
1 To him that excelleth upon Gittith. A Psalme committed to Asaph. Sing ioyfully vnto God our strength: sing loude vnto the God of Iaakob. 2 Take the song and bring forth the timbrel, the pleasant harpe with the viole. 3 Blowe the trumpet in the newe moone, euen in the time appointed, at our feast day. 4 For this is a statute for Israel, and a Law of the God of Iaakob. 5 Hee set this in Ioseph for a testimonie, when hee came out of the land of Egypt, where I heard a language, that I vnderstoode not. 6 I haue withdrawen his shoulder from the burden, and his handes haue left the pots. 7 Thou calledst in affliction and I deliuered thee, and answered thee in the secret of the thunder: I prooued thee at the waters of Meribah. Selah. 8 Heare, O my people, and I wil protest vnto thee: O Israel, if thou wilt hearken vnto me, 9 Let there bee no strange god in thee, neither worship thou any strange god. 10 For I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide and I will fill it. 11 But my people would not heare my voyce, and Israel would none of me. 12 So I gaue them vp vnto the hardnesse of their heart, and they haue walked in their owne cousels. 13 Oh that my people had hearkened vnto me, and Israel had walked in my wayes. 14 I would soone haue humbled their enemies, and turned mine hand against their aduersaries. 15 The haters of the Lord should haue bene subiect vnto him, and their time should haue endured for euer. 16 And God would haue fedde them with the fatte of wheat, and with honie out of the rocke would I haue sufficed thee.