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].
God, the all-powerful one, speaks; he summons all people, from the east to the west.
2 Out of Sion [comes] the excellence of his beauty.
His glory shines from Zion [Hill in Jerusalem], an extremely beautiful city.
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 to us, and he is not silent. A great fire is in front of him, and a storm is around him.
4 He shall summon the heaven above, and 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 Assemble you his saints to him, those that have engaged in a covenant with him upon sacrifices.
He says, “Summon those who faithfully [worship] me, those who made an agreement with me by offering sacrifices to me.”
6 And the heavens shall declare his righteousness: for God is judge. (Pause)
The [angels in] heaven declare, “God is righteous, and he is the supreme judge.”
7 Hear, my people, and I will speak to you, O Israel: and I will testify to 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 will not reprove you on account of your sacrifices; for your whole burnt offerings are before me continually.
I am not rebuking you for making sacrifices to me, for the offerings that you completely burn [on the altar].
9 I will take no bullocks out of your house, nor he-goats out of your flocks.
But I do not really need [you to sacrifice] the bulls from your barns and the goats from your pens,
10 For all the wild beasts of the thicket are mine, the cattle on the mountains, and oxen.
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 sky; and the beauty of the field is mine.
I [own and] know all the birds and all [the creatures] that move around in the fields.
12 If I should be hungry, I will not tell you: for the world is mine, and the fullness of 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 flesh 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 praise; and 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 And call upon me in the day of affliction; and I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me. (Pause)
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 sinner God has said, Why do you declare my ordinances, and take up my covenant in your mouth?
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 Whereas you have hated instruction, and have cast 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 If you saw a thief, you ran along with him, and have cast in your lot with adulterers.
Every time that you see a thief, you become his friend, and you spend [much] time with those who commit adultery.
19 Your mouth has multiplied wickedness, and your tongue has framed deceit.
You are [always] talking [MTY] about doing wicked things, and you are [always] to deceive people.
20 You did sit and speak against your brother, and did scandalize your mother's son.
You are always accusing members of your own family [of doing wrong], and slandering them.
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 offenses] before you.
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 these things, you that forget God, lest he rend [you], and there is no deliverer.
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 The sacrifice of praise will glorify me: and that is the way wherein I will show to him the salvation of God.
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.”
