Psalms 50

1 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].

A Psalm. Of Asaph. The God of gods, even the Lord, has sent out his voice, and the earth is full of fear; from the coming up of the sun to its going down.

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

From Zion, most beautiful of places, God has sent out his light.

3 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.

Our God will come, and will not keep quiet; with fire burning before him, and storm-winds round him.

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

His voice will go out to the heavens and to the earth, for the judging of his people:

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

Let my saints come together to me; those who have made an agreement with me by offerings.

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

And let the heavens make clear his righteousness; for God himself is the judge. (Selah)

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

Give ear, O my people, to my words; O Israel, I will be a witness against you; I am God, even your God.

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

I will not take up a cause against you because of your offerings, or because of your burned offerings, which are ever before me.

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

I will take no ox out of your house, or he-goats from your flocks;

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

For every beast of the woodland is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills.

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

I see all the birds of the mountains, and the beasts of the field are mine.

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

If I had need of food, I would not give you word of it; for the earth is mine and all its wealth.

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

Am I to take the flesh of the ox for my food, or the blood of goats for my drink?

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

Make an offering of praise to God; keep the agreements which you have made with the Most High;

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

Let your voice come up to me in the day of trouble; I will be your saviour, so that you may give glory to me.

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

But to the sinner, God says, What are you doing, talking of my laws, or taking the words of my agreement in your mouth?

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

Seeing that you have no desire for my teaching, turning your back on my words.

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

When you saw a thief, you were in agreement with him, and you were joined with those who took other men's wives.

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

You have given your mouth to evil, your tongue to words of deceit.

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

You say evil of your brother; you make false statements against your mother's son.

21 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.

These things have you done, and I said nothing; it seemed to you that I was such a one as yourself; but I will make a protest against you, and put them in order before your eyes.

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

Now keep this in mind, you who have no memory of God, for fear that you may be crushed under my hand, with no one to give you help:

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

Whoever makes an offering of praise gives glory to me; and to him who is upright in his ways I will make clear the salvation of God.