< Psalms 50 >
1 A psalm for Asaph. The God of gods, the Lord hath spoken: and he hath called the earth. From the rising of the sun, to the going down thereof:
A Psalm of Asaph. The Mighty One, God the LORD, speaks and summons the earth from where the sun rises to where it sets.
2 Out of Sion the loveliness of his beauty.
From Zion, perfect in beauty, God shines forth.
3 God shall come manifestly: our God shall come, and shall not keep silence. A fire shall burn before him: and a mighty tempest shall be round about him.
Our God approaches and will not be silent! Consuming fire precedes Him, and a tempest rages around Him.
4 He shall call heaven from above, and the earth, to judge his people.
He summons the heavens above, and the earth, that He may judge His people:
5 Gather ye together his saints to him: who set his covenant before sacrifices.
“Gather to Me My saints, who made a covenant with Me by sacrifice.”
6 And the heavens shall declare his justice: for God is judge.
And the heavens proclaim His righteousness, for God Himself is Judge.
7 Hear, O my people, and I will speak: O Israel, and I will testify to thee: I am God, thy God.
“Hear, O My people, and I will speak, O Israel, and I will testify against you: I am God, your God.
8 I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices: and thy burnt offerings are always in my sight.
I do not rebuke you for your sacrifices, and your burnt offerings are ever before Me.
9 I will not take calves out of thy house: nor he goats out of thy flocks.
I have no need for a bull from your stall or goats from your pens,
10 For all the beasts of the woods are mine: the cattle on the hills, and the oxen.
for every beast of the forest is Mine— the cattle on a thousand hills.
11 I know all the fowls of the air: and with me is the beauty of the field.
I know every bird in the mountains, and the creatures of the field are Mine.
12 If I should be hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof.
If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world is Mine, and the fullness thereof.
13 Shall I eat the flesh of bullocks? or shall I drink the blood of goats?
Do I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats?
14 Offer to God the sacrifice of praise: and pay thy vows to the most High.
Sacrifice a thank offering to God, and fulfill your vows to the Most High.
15 And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.
Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor Me.”
16 But to the sinner God hath said: Why dost thou declare my justices, and take my covenant in thy mouth?
To the wicked, however, God says, “What right have you to recite My statutes and to bear My covenant on your lips?
17 Seeing thou hast hated discipline: and hast cast my words behind thee.
For you hate My instruction and cast My words behind you.
18 If thou didst see a thief thou didst run with him: and with adulterers thou hast been a partaker.
When you see a thief, you befriend him, and throw in your lot with adulterers.
19 Thy mouth hath abounded with evil, and thy tongue framed deceits.
You unleash your mouth for evil and unharness your tongue for deceit.
20 Sitting thou didst speak against thy brother, and didst lay a scandal against thy mother’s son:
You sit and malign your brother; you slander your own mother’s son.
21 These things hast thou done, and I was silent. Thou thoughtest unjustly that I should be like to thee: but I will reprove thee, and set before thy face.
You have done these things, and I kept silent; you thought I was just like you. But now I rebuke you and accuse you to your face.
22 Understand these things, you that forget God; lest he snatch you away, and there be none to deliver you.
Now consider this, you who forget God, lest I tear you to pieces, with no one to rescue you:
23 The sacrifice of praise shall glorify me: and there is the way by which I will shew him the salvation of God.
He who sacrifices a thank offering honors Me, and to him who rights his way, I will show the salvation of God.”