Psalm 81[a]

For the director of music. According to gittith.[b] Of Asaph.

Sing for joy to God our strength;
    shout aloud to the God of Jacob!(A)
Begin the music, strike the timbrel,(B)
    play the melodious harp(C) and lyre.(D)

Sound the ram’s horn(E) at the New Moon,(F)
    and when the moon is full, on the day of our festival;
this is a decree for Israel,
    an ordinance of the God of Jacob.(G)
When God went out against Egypt,(H)
    he established it as a statute for Joseph.

I heard an unknown voice say:(I)

“I removed the burden(J) from their shoulders;(K)
    their hands were set free from the basket.
In your distress you called(L) and I rescued you,
    I answered(M) you out of a thundercloud;
    I tested you at the waters of Meribah.[c](N)
Hear me, my people,(O) and I will warn you—
    if you would only listen to me, Israel!
You shall have no foreign god(P) among you;
    you shall not worship any god other than me.
10 I am the Lord your God,
    who brought you up out of Egypt.(Q)
Open(R) wide your mouth and I will fill(S) it.

11 “But my people would not listen to me;
    Israel would not submit to me.(T)
12 So I gave them over(U) to their stubborn hearts
    to follow their own devices.

13 “If my people would only listen to me,(V)
    if Israel would only follow my ways,
14 how quickly I would subdue(W) their enemies
    and turn my hand against(X) their foes!
15 Those who hate the Lord would cringe(Y) before him,
    and their punishment would last forever.
16 But you would be fed with the finest of wheat;(Z)
    with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”

Psalm 82

A psalm of Asaph.

God presides in the great assembly;
    he renders judgment(AA) among the “gods”:(AB)

“How long will you[d] defend the unjust
    and show partiality(AC) to the wicked?[e](AD)
Defend the weak and the fatherless;(AE)
    uphold the cause of the poor(AF) and the oppressed.
Rescue the weak and the needy;
    deliver them from the hand of the wicked.

“The ‘gods’ know nothing, they understand nothing.(AG)
    They walk about in darkness;(AH)
    all the foundations(AI) of the earth are shaken.

“I said, ‘You are “gods”;(AJ)
    you are all sons of the Most High.’
But you will die(AK) like mere mortals;
    you will fall like every other ruler.”

Rise up,(AL) O God, judge(AM) the earth,
    for all the nations are your inheritance.(AN)

Psalm 83[f]

A song. A psalm of Asaph.

O God, do not remain silent;(AO)
    do not turn a deaf ear,
    do not stand aloof, O God.
See how your enemies growl,(AP)
    how your foes rear their heads.(AQ)
With cunning they conspire(AR) against your people;
    they plot against those you cherish.(AS)
“Come,” they say, “let us destroy(AT) them as a nation,(AU)
    so that Israel’s name is remembered(AV) no more.”

With one mind they plot together;(AW)
    they form an alliance against you—
the tents of Edom(AX) and the Ishmaelites,
    of Moab(AY) and the Hagrites,(AZ)
Byblos,(BA) Ammon(BB) and Amalek,(BC)
    Philistia,(BD) with the people of Tyre.(BE)
Even Assyria(BF) has joined them
    to reinforce Lot’s descendants.[g](BG)

Do to them as you did to Midian,(BH)
    as you did to Sisera(BI) and Jabin(BJ) at the river Kishon,(BK)
10 who perished at Endor(BL)
    and became like dung(BM) on the ground.
11 Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb,(BN)
    all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,(BO)
12 who said, “Let us take possession(BP)
    of the pasturelands of God.”

13 Make them like tumbleweed, my God,
    like chaff(BQ) before the wind.
14 As fire consumes the forest
    or a flame sets the mountains ablaze,(BR)
15 so pursue them with your tempest(BS)
    and terrify them with your storm.(BT)
16 Cover their faces with shame,(BU) Lord,
    so that they will seek your name.

17 May they ever be ashamed and dismayed;(BV)
    may they perish in disgrace.(BW)
18 Let them know that you, whose name is the Lord(BX)
    that you alone are the Most High(BY) over all the earth.(BZ)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 81:1 In Hebrew texts 81:1-16 is numbered 81:2-17.
  2. Psalm 81:1 Title: Probably a musical term
  3. Psalm 81:7 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.
  4. Psalm 82:2 The Hebrew is plural.
  5. Psalm 82:2 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.
  6. Psalm 83:1 In Hebrew texts 83:1-18 is numbered 83:2-19.
  7. Psalm 83:8 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.

81 Sing aloud unto God our strength: make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob.

Take a psalm, and bring hither the timbrel, the pleasant harp with the psaltery.

Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast day.

For this was a statute for Israel, and a law of the God of Jacob.

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.

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.

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.

11 But my people would not hearken to my voice; and Israel would none of me.

12 So I gave them up unto their own hearts' lust: and they walked in their own counsels.

13 Oh that my people had hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my ways!

14 I should soon have subdued their enemies, and turned my hand against their adversaries.

15 The haters of the Lord should have submitted themselves unto him: but their time should have endured for ever.

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.

82 God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods.

How long will ye judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked? Selah.

Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy.

Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked.

They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course.

I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High.

But ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes.

Arise, O God, judge the earth: for thou shalt inherit all nations.

83 Keep not thou silence, O God: hold not thy peace, and be not still, O God.

For, lo, thine enemies make a tumult: and they that hate thee have lifted up the head.

They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones.

They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.

For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee:

The tabernacles of Edom, and the Ishmaelites; of Moab, and the Hagarenes;

Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek; the Philistines with the inhabitants of Tyre;

Assur also is joined with them: they have holpen the children of Lot. Selah.

Do unto them as unto the Midianites; as to Sisera, as to Jabin, at the brook of Kison:

10 Which perished at Endor: they became as dung for the earth.

11 Make their nobles like Oreb, and like Zeeb: yea, all their princes as Zebah, and as Zalmunna:

12 Who said, Let us take to ourselves the houses of God in possession.

13 O my God, make them like a wheel; as the stubble before the wind.

14 As the fire burneth a wood, and as the flame setteth the mountains on fire;

15 So persecute them with thy tempest, and make them afraid with thy storm.

16 Fill their faces with shame; that they may seek thy name, O Lord.

17 Let them be confounded and troubled for ever; yea, let them be put to shame, and perish:

18 That men may know that thou, whose name alone is Jehovah, art the most high over all the earth.

19 You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” 20 Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith.(A) Do not be arrogant,(B) but tremble.(C) 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.

22 Consider therefore the kindness(D) and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue(E) in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off.(F) 23 And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.(G) 24 After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree,(H) how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree!

All Israel Will Be Saved

25 I do not want you to be ignorant(I) of this mystery,(J) brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited:(K) Israel has experienced a hardening(L) in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in,(M) 26 and in this way[a] all Israel will be saved.(N) As it is written:

“The deliverer will come from Zion;
    he will turn godlessness away from Jacob.
27 And this is[b] my covenant with them
    when I take away their sins.”[c](O)

28 As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies(P) for your sake; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs,(Q) 29 for God’s gifts and his call(R) are irrevocable.(S) 30 Just as you who were at one time disobedient(T) to God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience, 31 so they too have now become disobedient in order that they too may now[d] receive mercy as a result of God’s mercy to you. 32 For God has bound everyone over to disobedience(U) so that he may have mercy on them all.

Doxology

33 Oh, the depth of the riches(V) of the wisdom and[e] knowledge of God!(W)
    How unsearchable his judgments,
    and his paths beyond tracing out!(X)
34 “Who has known the mind of the Lord?
    Or who has been his counselor?”[f](Y)
35 “Who has ever given to God,
    that God should repay them?”[g](Z)
36 For from him and through him and for him are all things.(AA)
    To him be the glory forever! Amen.(AB)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Romans 11:26 Or and so
  2. Romans 11:27 Or will be
  3. Romans 11:27 Isaiah 59:20,21; 27:9 (see Septuagint); Jer. 31:33,34
  4. Romans 11:31 Some manuscripts do not have now.
  5. Romans 11:33 Or riches and the wisdom and the
  6. Romans 11:34 Isaiah 40:13
  7. Romans 11:35 Job 41:11

19 Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in.

20 Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:

21 For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.

22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.

23 And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again.

24 For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?

25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.

26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:

27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.

28 As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the father's sakes.

29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.

30 For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:

31 Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.

32 For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.

33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!

34 For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?

35 Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?

36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

Read full chapter