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 Melody of Asaph. El, Elohim, Yahweh, hath spoken, and culled the earth, From the rising of the sun, unto the going in thereof:

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

Out of Zion the perfection of beauty, God, hath shone forth.

3 Our God arrives, and does not stay quiet. Fire flames before him, burning everything up; a violent storm rages around him.

Let our God come, and let him not keep silence! A fire—before him, shall devour, And, around him, hath it become exceeding tempestuous:

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

He calleth, Unto the heavens above, And unto the earth, That he may judge his people.

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

Gather yourselves unto me—ye my men of lovingkindness, Who have solemnised my covenant over sacrifice.

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

Now have the heavens declared his righteousness, Because, God, is, about to judge. (Selah)

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

Hear, O my people, and I will speak, O Israel, and I will adjure thee, God, thine own God, I am: —

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

Not, for thy sacrifices, will I reprove thee, Nor for thine ascending-offerings, before me continually:

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

I will not take out of thy house—a bullock, Nor out of thy folds—he-goats;

10 for I own all the animals of the forest, and the cattle on a thousand hills belong to me.

For, mine, is every wild-beast of the forest, The cattle on the mountains, in their thousands;

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

I know every bird of the mountains, And, the moving things of the plain, are with me:

12 If I were hungry, I wouldn't tell you, for the earth and everything in it are mine.

If I were hungry, I would not tell thee, For, mine, is the world, and the fulness thereof.

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

Will I eat the flesh of mighty oxen? Or, the blood of he-goats, will I drink?

14 Give an offering of thanks to God; keep the promises you made to the Most High,

Sacrifice to God a thankoffering, And pay to the Most High thy vows;

15 and call on me when you're in trouble. I will rescue you, and you will thank me.”

Call upon me, then, in the day of distress, I will deliver thee, that thou mayest glorify 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 lawless one, God saith, What hast, thou, to do, to recount my statutes? Or that thou hast taken up my covenant upon thy mouth?

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

Seeing that, thou, hast hated correction, And hast cast my words behind thee;

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

If thou sawest a thief, then didst thou run with him, —And, with adulterers, hath been thy chosen life;

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

Thy mouth, hast thou thrust into wickedness, And, thy tongue, kept weaving deceit;

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

Thou wouldst sit down—Against thine own brother, wouldst thou speak, Against thine own mother’s son, wouldst thou expose a fault: —

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, hast thou done, and I have kept silence, Thou thoughtest that I should really be like thyself, I will convict thee, yea I will set [thine offences] in order before thine eyes.

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

Understand this, I pray you, ye forgetters of GOD, Lest I tear in pieces, and there be none to deliver: —

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.”

He that sacrificeth a thankoffering, will glorify me, —And will prepare a way by which I may show him the salvation of God.