Psalms 50

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

A Psalm for Asaph. The God of gods, the Lord, has spoken, and called the earth from the rising of the sun to the going down [thereof].

2 God shines out of Mount Zion, perfect in beauty.

Out of Sion [comes] the excellence of his beauty.

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

God, our God, shall come manifestly, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall be kindled before him, and round about him there shall be a very great tempest.

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

He shall summon the heaven above, and the earth, that he may judge his people.

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

Assemble ye his saints to him, those that have engaged in a covenant with him upon sacrifices.

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

And the heavens shall declare his righteousness: for God is judge. (Pause)

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

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

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

I will not reprove thee on account of thy sacrifices; for thy whole-burnt-offerings are before me continually.

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

I will take no bullocks out of thine house, nor he-goats out of thy flocks.

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

For all the wild beasts of the thicket are mine, the cattle on the mountains, and oxen.

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

I know all the birds of the sky; and the beauty of the field is mine.

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

If I should be hungry, I will not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fullness of it.

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

Will I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats?

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

Offer to God the sacrifice of praise; and pay thy vows to the Most High.

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

And call upon me in the day of affliction; and I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. (Pause)

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

But to the sinner God has said, Why dost thou declare my ordinances, and take up my covenant in thy mouth?

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

Whereas thou hast hated instruction, and hast cast my words behind [thee].

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

If thou sawest a thief, thou rannest along with him, and hast cast in thy lot with adulterers.

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

Thy mouth has multiplied wickedness, and thy tongue has framed deceit.

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

Thou didst sit and speak against thy brother, and didst scandalize thy mother's son.

21 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.

These things thou didst, and I kept silence: thou thoughtest wickedly that I should be like thee, [but] I will reprove thee, and set [thine offences] before thee.

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

Now consider these things, ye that forget God, lest he rend [you], and there is no deliverer.

23 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.”

The sacrifice of praise will glorify me: and that is the way wherein I will shew to him the salvation of God.