Psalms 50

1 A psalm for Asaph. The God of gods, the Lord hath spoken: and he hath called the earth. From the rising of the sun, to the going down thereof:

A psalm of Asaph. The Lord God has spoken: He summons the earth from sunrise to sunset.

2 Out of Sion the loveliness of his beauty.

From Zion, perfection of beauty, God’s glory shines forth.

3 God shall come manifestly: our God shall come, and shall not keep silence. A fire shall burn before him: and a mighty tempest shall be round about him.

Our God comes, he cannot keep silence, devouring fire is before him, and furious tempest around him.

4 He shall call heaven from above, and the earth, to judge his people.

He summons the heavens above and the earth to judge his people.

5 Gather ye together his saints to him: who set his covenant before sacrifices.

Gather to him his saints by covenant-sacrifice bound to him;

6 And the heavens shall declare his justice: for God is judge.

that the heavens may declare his justice, for a God of justice is he. (Selah)

7 Hear, O my people, and I will speak: O Israel, and I will testify to thee: I am God, thy God.

‘Hear, O my people, and I will speak, and protest to you, O Israel: I am the Lord, your God.

8 I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices: and thy burnt offerings are always in my sight.

Not for your sacrifices will I reprove you your burnt-offerings are ever before me

9 I will not take calves out of thy house: nor he goats out of thy flocks.

Not a bullock will I take from your house, nor male goats out of your folds;

10 For all the beasts of the woods are mine: the cattle on the hills, and the oxen.

for all beasts of the forest are mine, and the kine on a thousand hills.

11 I know all the fowls of the air: and with me is the beauty of the field.

I know all the birds of the air, all that moves on the fields is mine.

12 If I should be hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof.

Were I hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and its fulness are mine.

13 Shall I eat the flesh of bullocks? or shall I drink the blood of goats?

Am I such as to eat bulls’ flesh, or drink the blood of goats?

14 Offer to God the sacrifice of praise: and pay thy vows to the most High.

Offer to God a thank-offering, pay the Most High your vows.

15 And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.

Summon me in the day of distress, I will rescue you, so will you honour me.’

16 But to the sinner God hath said: Why dost thou declare my justices, and take my covenant in thy mouth?

But to the wicked God says: ‘What right have you to talk of my statutes, or take my covenant into your mouth

17 Seeing thou hast hated discipline: and hast cast my words behind thee.

while you yourself hate correction, and cast my words behind you?

18 If thou didst see a thief thou didst run with him: and with adulterers thou hast been a partaker.

When you see a thief, you run with them; with adulterers you keep company.

19 Thy mouth hath abounded with evil, and thy tongue framed deceits.

You let your mouth loose for evil, your tongue contrives deceit.

20 Sitting thou didst speak against thy brother, and didst lay a scandal against thy mother’s son:

You shamefully speak of your kin, and slander your own mother’s son.

21 These things hast thou done, and I was silent. Thou thoughtest unjustly that I should be like to thee: but I will reprove thee, and set before thy face.

And because I kept silence at this, you did take me for one like yourself. But I will convict you and show you plainly.

22 Understand these things, you that forget God; lest he snatch you away, and there be none to deliver you.

‘Now you who forget God, mark this, lest I rend you, past hope of deliverance.

23 The sacrifice of praise shall glorify me: and there is the way by which I will shew him the salvation of God.

Those who bring a thank-offering honour me; but to those: who follows my way, I will show the salvation of God.’