Psalms 50

1 A Psalm. Of Asaph. God, Elohim-Jehovah, hath spoken, and called the earth from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof.

A psalm of Asaph. The Lord, the Almighty God, speaks! He summons everyone on earth, from the east to the west.

2 Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined forth.

God shines out of Mount Zion, perfect in beauty.

3 Our God will come, and will not keep silence: fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him.

Our God arrives, and does not stay quiet. Fire flames before him, burning everything up; a violent storm rages around him.

4 He will call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that he may judge his people:

He summons the heavens above and the earth to witness the judgment of his people.

5 Gather unto me my godly ones, those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice!

“Bring me those who trust in me—those who confirmed the agreement with me through sacrifice.”

6 And the heavens shall declare his righteousness; for God executeth judgment himself. (Selah)

The heavens declare his decisions are right, for God himself is the judge. (Selah)

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

“My people, listen to what I have to say. I am bringing charges against you, Israel. I am God, your God!

8 I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices, or thy burnt-offerings, continually before me;

I'm not complaining about your sacrifices or burnt offerings that you offer all the time.

9 I will take no bullock out of thy house, [nor] he-goats out of thy folds:

I do not require bulls from your barns or goats from your pens,

10 For every beast of the forest is mine, the cattle upon a thousand hills;

for I own all the animals of the forest, and the cattle on a thousand hills belong to me.

11 I know all the fowl of the mountains, and the roaming creatures of the field are mine:

I know every bird of the mountains; all living things in the fields are mine.

12 If I were hungry, I would not tell thee; for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof.

If I were hungry, I wouldn't tell you, for the earth and everything in it are mine.

13 Should I eat the flesh of bulls, and drink the blood of goats?

Do I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats?

14 Offer unto God thanksgiving, and perform thy vows unto the Most High;

Give an offering of thanks to God; keep the promises you made to the Most High,

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

and call on me when you're in trouble. I will rescue you, and you will thank me.”

16 But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldest take my covenant into thy mouth,

But to the wicked God says, “What's the point of mechanically repeating my laws or making empty promises about obeying the agreement?

17 Seeing thou hast hated correction and hast cast my words behind thee?

You hate my discipline, and you toss my words away, leaving them behind you.

18 When thou sawest a thief, thou didst take pleasure in him, and thy portion was with adulterers;

When you see people stealing, you admire them; you associate with adulterers.

19 Thou lettest thy mouth loose to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit;

With your mouth you say evil things; you use your tongue to spread lies.

20 Thou sittest [and] speakest against thy brother, thou revilest thine own mother's son:

You sit there and speak against your brother, slandering your own mother's son.

21 These [things] hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether as thyself: [but] I will reprove thee, and set [them] in order before thine eyes.

I kept quiet when you did these things. You thought I was someone just like you. But now I confront you, and bring my charges against you.

22 Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear in pieces, and there be no deliverer.

Think again, you people who dismiss God, or I will tear you apart, and no-one will be able to save you.

23 Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me; and to him that ordereth [his] way will I shew the salvation of God.

But those who give an offering of thanks honor me, and to those who follow the right I will show them the salvation of God.”