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 of Asaph. The God of gods, the Lord has spoken, and he has called the earth, from the rising of the sun even to its setting,

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

from Zion, the brilliance 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 will arrive manifestly. Our God also will not keep silence. A fire will flare up in his sight, and a mighty tempest will surround him.

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

He will call to heaven from above, and to the earth, to discern his people.

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

Gather his holy ones to him, you who order his covenant above sacrifices.

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

And the heavens will announce his justice. For God is the judge.

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

Listen, my people, and I will speak. Listen, Israel, and I will testify for you. I am God, your God.

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

I will not reprove you for your sacrifices. Moreover, your holocausts are ever in my sight.

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

I will not accept calves from your house, nor he-goats from your 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 forest are mine: the cattle on the hills and the oxen.

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

I know all the flying things of the air, and the beauty of the field is with me.

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 would not tell you: for the whole world is mine, and all its plentitude.

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

Shall I gnaw on the flesh of bulls? Or would I 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 your 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 tribulation. I will rescue you, and you will honor me.

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 do you discourse on my justices, and take up my covenant through your mouth?

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

Truly, you have hated discipline, and you have cast my sermons behind you.

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

If you saw a thief, you ran with him, and you have placed your portion with adulterers.

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

Your mouth has abounded with malice, and your tongue has concocted deceits.

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

Sitting, you spoke against your brother, and you set up a scandal against your 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 you have done, and I was silent. You thought, unjustly, that I ought to be like you. But I will reprove you, and I will set myself against your face.

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

Understand these things, you who forget God; lest at any time, he might quickly take you away, and there would be no one to rescue you.

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 honor me. And in that place is the journey by which I will reveal to him the salvation of God.