Psalms 50

1 A Psalm by Asaph. The Mighty One, God, the LORD, speaks, and calls the earth from sunrise to sunset.

God, the all-powerful one, speaks; he summons all people, from the east to the west.

2 Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines out.

His glory shines from Zion [Hill in Jerusalem], an extremely beautiful city.

3 Our God comes, and does not keep silent. A fire devours before him. It is very stormy around him.

Our God comes to us, and he is not silent. A great fire is in front of him, and a storm is around him.

4 He calls to the heavens above, to the earth, that he may judge his people:

He comes to judge his people. He shouts to the [angels in] heaven and to [the people on] the earth.

5 “Gather my holy ones together to me, those who have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.”

He says, “Summon those who faithfully [worship] me, those who made an agreement with me by offering sacrifices to me.”

6 The heavens shall declare his righteousness, for God himself is judge. (Selah)

The [angels in] heaven declare, “God is righteous, and he is the supreme judge.”

7 “Hear, my people, and I will speak. Israel, I will testify against you. I am God, your God.

God says, “My people, listen! You Israeli people, listen, as I, your God, say what you have done that is wrong.

8 I don’t rebuke you for your sacrifices. Your burnt offerings are continually before me.

I am not rebuking you for making sacrifices to me, for the offerings that you completely burn [on the altar].

9 I have no need for a bull from your stall, nor male goats from your pens.

But I do not really need [you to sacrifice] the bulls from your barns and the goats from your pens,

10 For every animal of the forest is mine, and the livestock on a thousand hills.

because all the animals in the forest belong to me, [and all] the cattle on 1,000 hills also belong to me.

11 I know all the birds of the mountains. The wild animals of the field are mine.

I [own and] know all the birds and all [the creatures] that move around in the fields.

12 If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world is mine, and all that is in it.

[So], if I were hungry, I would not tell you [to bring me some food], because everything in the world belongs to me!

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

I do not eat the flesh of the bulls [that you sacrifice], and I do not drink the blood of the goats [that you offer to me].

14 Offer to God the sacrifice of thanksgiving. Pay your vows to the Most High.

The sacrifice [that I really want is that] you thank me and do all that you have promised to do.

15 Call on me in the day of trouble. I will deliver you, and you will honor me.”

And pray to me when you have troubles. [If you do that], I will rescue you, and [then] you will praise me.

16 But to the wicked God says, “What right do you have to declare my statutes, that you have taken my covenant on your lips,

But I say this to the wicked people: (Why do you/It does not benefit you at all to) [RHQ] recite my commandments or talk about the agreement that I made with you,

17 since you hate instruction, and throw my words behind you?

because you have refused to allow me to discipline you, and you have rejected what I told you to do.

18 When you saw a thief, you consented with him, and have participated with adulterers.

Every time that you see a thief, you become his friend, and you spend [much] time with those who commit adultery.

19 “You give your mouth to evil. Your tongue frames deceit.

You are [always] talking [MTY] about doing wicked things, and you are [always] to deceive people.

20 You sit and speak against your brother. You slander your own mother’s son.

You are always accusing members of your own family [of doing wrong], and slandering them.

21 You have done these things, and I kept silent. You thought that I was just like you. I will rebuke you, and accuse you in front of your eyes.

You did [all] those things, and I did not say anything to you, [so] you thought that I was [a sinner] just like you. But now I rebuke you and accuse you, right in front of you.

22 “Now consider this, you who forget God, lest I tear you into pieces, and there be no one to deliver.

So, all you who have ignored me, pay attention to this, because if you do not, I will tear you to pieces, and there will be no one to rescue you.

23 Whoever offers the sacrifice of thanksgiving glorifies me, and prepares his way so that I will show God’s salvation to him.”

The sacrifice that [truly] honors me is to thank me [for what I have done]; and I will save those who always do the things that I want them to.”