< 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 by Asaph. The Mighty One, God, the LORD, speaks, and calls the earth from sunrise to sunset.
2 Out of Sion [comes] the excellence of his beauty.
Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines out.
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 comes, and does not keep silent. A fire devours before him. It is very stormy around him.
4 He shall summon the heaven above, and the earth, that he may judge his people.
He calls to the heavens above, to the earth, that he may judge his people:
5 Assemble you his saints to him, those that have engaged in a covenant with him upon sacrifices.
“Gather my holy ones together to me, those who have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.”
6 And the heavens shall declare his righteousness: for God is judge. (Pause)
The heavens shall declare his righteousness, for God himself is judge. (Selah)
7 Hear, my people, and I will speak to you, O Israel: and I will testify to you: I am God, your God.
“Hear, my people, and I will speak. Israel, I will testify against you. I am God, your God.
8 I will not reprove you on account of your sacrifices; for your whole burnt offerings are before me continually.
I don’t rebuke you for your sacrifices. Your burnt offerings are continually before me.
9 I will take no bullocks out of your house, nor he-goats out of your flocks.
I have no need for a bull from your stall, nor male goats from your pens.
10 For all the wild beasts of the thicket are mine, the cattle on the mountains, and oxen.
For every animal of the forest is mine, and the livestock on a thousand hills.
11 I know all the birds of the sky; and the beauty of the field is mine.
I know all the birds of the mountains. The wild animals of the field are mine.
12 If I should be hungry, I will not tell you: for the world is mine, and the fullness of it.
If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world is mine, and all that is in it.
13 Will I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats?
Will I eat the meat of bulls, or drink the blood of goats?
14 Offer to God the sacrifice of praise; and pay your vows to the Most High.
Offer to God the sacrifice of thanksgiving. Pay your vows to the Most High.
15 And call upon me in the day of affliction; and I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me. (Pause)
Call on me in the day of trouble. I will deliver you, and you will honour me.”
16 But to the sinner God has said, Why do you declare my ordinances, and take up my covenant in your mouth?
But to the wicked God says, “What right do you have to declare my statutes, that you have taken my covenant on your lips,
17 Whereas you have hated instruction, and have cast my words behind [you].
since you hate instruction, and throw my words behind you?
18 If you saw a thief, you ran along with him, and have cast in your lot with adulterers.
When you saw a thief, you consented with him, and have participated with adulterers.
19 Your mouth has multiplied wickedness, and your tongue has framed deceit.
“You give your mouth to evil. Your tongue frames deceit.
20 You did sit and speak against your brother, and did scandalize your mother's son.
You sit and speak against your brother. You slander your own mother’s son.
21 These things you did, and I kept silence: you thought wickedly that I should be like you, [but] I will reprove you, and set [your offences] before you.
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.
22 Now consider these things, you that forget God, lest he rend [you], and there is no deliverer.
“Now consider this, you who forget God, lest I tear you into pieces, and there be no one to deliver.
23 The sacrifice of praise will glorify me: and that is the way wherein I will show to him the salvation of God.
Whoever offers the sacrifice of thanksgiving glorifies me, and prepares his way so that I will show God’s salvation to him.”