81:7 In your distress you called out and I rescued you.
I answered you from a dark thundercloud. 1
I tested you at the waters of Meribah. 2 (Selah)
81:8 I said, 3 ‘Listen, my people!
I will warn 4 you!
O Israel, if only you would obey me! 5
81:9 There must be 6 no other 7 god among you.
You must not worship a foreign god.
81:10 I am the Lord, your God,
the one who brought you out of the land of Egypt.
Open your mouth wide and I will fill it!’
81:11 But my people did not obey me; 8
Israel did not submit to me. 9
81:12 I gave them over to their stubborn desires; 10
they did what seemed right to them. 11
81:13 If only my people would obey me! 12
If only Israel would keep my commands! 13
81:14 Then I would quickly subdue their enemies,
and attack 14 their adversaries.”
81:15 (May those who hate the Lord 15 cower in fear 16 before him!
May they be permanently humiliated!) 17
81:16 “I would feed Israel the best wheat, 18
and would satisfy your appetite 19 with honey from the rocky cliffs.” 20