Psalms 50
1 God, the all-powerful one, speaks; he summons all people, from the east to the west.
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 His glory shines from Zion [Hill in Jerusalem], an extremely beautiful city.
From Zion, perfect in beauty, God shines forth.
3 Our God comes to us, and he is not silent. A great fire is in front of him, and a storm is around him.
Our God approaches and will not be silent! Consuming fire precedes Him, and a tempest rages around Him.
4 He comes to judge his people. He shouts to the [angels in] heaven and to [the people on] the earth.
He summons the heavens above, and the earth, that He may judge His people:
5 He says, “Summon those who faithfully [worship] me, those who made an agreement with me by offering sacrifices to me.”
“Gather to Me My saints, who made a covenant with Me by sacrifice.”
6 The [angels in] heaven declare, “God is righteous, and he is the supreme judge.”
And the heavens proclaim His righteousness, for God Himself is Judge.
7 God says, “My people, listen! You Israeli people, listen, as I, your God, say what you have done that is wrong.
“Hear, O My people, and I will speak, O Israel, and I will testify against you: I am God, your God.
8 I am not rebuking you for making sacrifices to me, for the offerings that you completely burn [on the altar].
I do not rebuke you for your sacrifices, and your burnt offerings are ever before Me.
9 But I do not really need [you to sacrifice] the bulls from your barns and the goats from your pens,
I have no need for a bull from your stall or goats from your pens,
10 because all the animals in the forest belong to me, [and all] the cattle on 1,000 hills also belong to me.
for every beast of the forest is Mine— the cattle on a thousand hills.
11 I [own and] know all the birds and all [the creatures] that move around in the fields.
I know every bird in the mountains, and the creatures of the field are Mine.
12 [So], if I were hungry, I would not tell you [to bring me some food], because everything in the world belongs to me!
If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world is Mine, and the fullness thereof.
13 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].
Do I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats?
14 The sacrifice [that I really want is that] you thank me and do all that you have promised to do.
Sacrifice a thank offering to God, and fulfill your vows to the Most High.
15 And pray to me when you have troubles. [If you do that], I will rescue you, and [then] you will praise me.
Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor Me.”
16 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,
To the wicked, however, God says, “What right have you to recite My statutes and to bear My covenant on your lips?
17 because you have refused to allow me to discipline you, and you have rejected what I told you to do.
For you hate My instruction and cast My words behind you.
18 Every time that you see a thief, you become his friend, and you spend [much] time with those who commit adultery.
When you see a thief, you befriend him, and throw in your lot with adulterers.
19 You are [always] talking [MTY] about doing wicked things, and you are [always] to deceive people.
You unleash your mouth for evil and unharness your tongue for deceit.
20 You are always accusing members of your own family [of doing wrong], and slandering them.
You sit and malign your brother; you slander your own mother’s son.
21 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.
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 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.
Now consider this, you who forget God, lest I tear you to pieces, with no one to rescue you:
23 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.”
He who sacrifices a thank offering honors Me, and to him who rights his way, I will show the salvation of God.”
