Psalm 50
A psalm of Asaph.
1The Mighty One, God, the Lord, speaks.
He calls out to the earth
from the sunrise in the east
to the sunset in the west.
2From Zion, perfect and beautiful,
God’s glory shines out.
3Our God comes, and he won’t be silent.
A burning fire goes ahead of him.
A terrible storm is all around him.
4He calls out to heaven and earth to be his witnesses.
Then he judges his people.
5He says, “Gather this holy people around me.
They made a covenant with me by offering a sacrifice.”
6The heavens announce that what God decides is right.
That’s because he is a God of justice.
7God says, “Listen, my people, and I will speak.
I will be a witness against you, Israel.
I am God, your God.
8I don’t bring charges against you because of your sacrifices.
I don’t bring charges because of the burnt offerings you always bring me.
9I don’t need a bull from your barn.
I don’t need goats from your pens.
10Every animal in the forest already belongs to me.
And so do the cattle on a thousand hills.
11I own every bird in the mountains.
The insects in the fields belong to me.
12If I were hungry, I wouldn’t tell you.
The world belongs to me. And so does everything in it.
13Do I eat the meat of bulls?
Do I drink the blood of goats?
14Bring me thank offerings, because I am your God.
Carry out the promises you made to me, because I am the Most High God.
15Call out to me when trouble comes.
I will save you. And you will honor me.”
16But here is what God says to a sinful person.
“What right do you have to speak the words of my laws?
How dare you speak the words of my covenant!
17You hate my teaching.
You turn your back on what I say.
18When you see a thief, you join him.
You make friends with those who commit adultery.
19You use your mouth to speak evil.
You use your tongue to spread lies.
20You are a witness against your brother.
You always tell lies about your own mother’s son.
21When you did these things, I kept silent.
So you thought I was just like you.
But now I’m going to bring you to court.
I will bring charges against you.
22“You who forget God, think about this.
If you don’t, I will tear you to pieces.
No one will be able to save you.
23People who sacrifice thank offerings to me honor me.
To those who are without blame I will show my power to save.”
Psalm 50
A psalm of Asaph.
1The Mighty One, God, the Lord,
speaks and summons the earth
from the rising of the sun to where it sets.
2From Zion, perfect in beauty,
God shines forth.
3Our God comes
and will not be silent;
a fire devours before him,
and around him a tempest rages.
4He summons the heavens above,
and the earth, that he may judge his people:
5“Gather to me this consecrated people,
who made a covenant with me by sacrifice.”
6And the heavens proclaim his righteousness,
for he is a God of justice.50:6 With a different word division of the Hebrew; Masoretic Text for God himself is judge50:6 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.
7“Listen, my people, and I will speak;
I will testify against you, Israel:
I am God, your God.
8I bring no charges against you concerning your sacrifices
or concerning your burnt offerings, which are ever before me.
9I have no need of a bull from your stall
or of goats from your pens,
10for every animal of the forest is mine,
and the cattle on a thousand hills.
11I know every bird in the mountains,
and the insects in the fields are mine.
12If I were hungry I would not tell you,
for the world is mine, and all that is in it.
13Do I eat the flesh of bulls
or drink the blood of goats?
14“Sacrifice thank offerings to God,
fulfill your vows to the Most High,
15and call on me in the day of trouble;
I will deliver you, and you will honor me.”
16But to the wicked person, God says:
“What right have you to recite my laws
or take my covenant on your lips?
17You hate my instruction
and cast my words behind you.
18When you see a thief, you join with him;
you throw in your lot with adulterers.
19You use your mouth for evil
and harness your tongue to deceit.
20You sit and testify against your brother
and slander your own mother’s son.
21When you did these things and I kept silent,
you thought I was exactly50:21 Or thought the ‘I am’ was like you.
But I now arraign you
and set my accusations before you.
22“Consider this, you who forget God,
or I will tear you to pieces, with no one to rescue you:
23Those who sacrifice thank offerings honor me,
and to the blameless50:23 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text; the meaning of the Masoretic Text for this phrase is uncertain. I will show my salvation.”
