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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

PSALM 81 by OLD TESTAMENT BIBLE

First Line: TO GOD OUR STRENGTH SING LOUD, AND CLEAR
Last Line: WITH HONEY FOR THEIR MEAT.
1 To God our strength sing loud, @3and clear@1,
Sing loud to God @3our King@1,
To Jacob's God, @3that all may hear@1
Loud acclamations ring.
2 Prepare a hymn, prepare a song,
The timbrel hither bring;
The @3cheerful@1 psaltery bring along
And harp @3with@1 pleasant @3string@1;
3 Blow, @3as is wont@1, in the new moon
With trumpets' @3lofty sound@1,
Th' appointed time, the day whereon
Our solemn feast @3comes round@1.
4 This was a statute @3giv'n of old@1
For Israel @3to observe@1,
A law of Jacob's God, @3to hold
From whence they might not swerve@1.
5 This he a testimony ordained
In Joseph, @3not to change@1,
When as he passed through Egypt land;
The tongue I heard, was strange.
6 From burden, @3and from slavish toil@1
I set his shoulder free;
His hands from pots, @3and miry soil@1
Delivered were @3by me@1.
7 When trouble did thee sore assail,
@3On me then@1 didst thou call,
And I to free thee @3did not fail,
And led thee out of thrall@1.
I answered thee in thunder deep
With clouds encompassed round;
I tried thee at the water @3steep@1
Of Meriba @3renowned@1.
8 Hear O my people, @3hearken well@1,
I testify to thee
@3Thou ancient stock of@1 Israel,
If thou wilt list to me,
9 Throughout the land of thy abode
No alien god shall be,
Nor shalt thou to a foreign god
In honour bend thy knee.
10 I am the Lord thy God which brought
Thee out of Egypt land;
Ask large enough, and I, @3besought@1,
Will grant thy full demand.
11 And yet my people would not @3hear@1,
@3Nor@1 hearken to my voice;
And Israel @3whom I loved so dear@1
Misliked me for his choice.
12 Then did I leave them to their will
And to their wand'ring mind;
Their own conceits they followed still,
Their own devices blind.
13 O that my people would @3be wise
To@1 serve me @3all their days@1,
And O that Israel would @3advise
To@1 walk my @3righteous@1 ways.
14 Then would I soon bring down their foes
@3That now so proudly rise@1,
And turn my hand against @3all those
That are@1 their enemies.
15 Who hate the Lord should @3then be fain
To@1 bow to him and bend,
But @3they, his people, should remain@1,
Their time should have no end.
16 And we would feed them @3from the shock@1
With flour of finest wheat,
And satisfy them from the rock
With honey @3for their meat@1.



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