Psalms 50

1 God, the all-powerful one, speaks; he summons all people, from the east to the west.

A Psalm. Of Asaph. The God of gods, even the Lord, has sent out his voice, and the earth is full of fear; from the coming up of the sun to its going down.

2 His glory shines from Zion [Hill in Jerusalem], an extremely beautiful city.

From Zion, most beautiful of places, God has sent out his light.

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 will come, and will not keep quiet; with fire burning before him, and storm-winds round him.

4 He comes to judge his people. He shouts to the [angels in] heaven and to [the people on] the earth.

His voice will go out to the heavens and to the earth, for the judging of his people:

5 He says, “Summon those who faithfully [worship] me, those who made an agreement with me by offering sacrifices to me.”

Let my saints come together to me; those who have made an agreement with me by offerings.

6 The [angels in] heaven declare, “God is righteous, and he is the supreme judge.”

And let the heavens make clear his righteousness; for God himself is the judge. (Selah)

7 God says, “My people, listen! You Israeli people, listen, as I, your God, say what you have done that is wrong.

Give ear, O my people, to my words; O Israel, I will be a witness against you; I am God, even your God.

8 I am not rebuking you for making sacrifices to me, for the offerings that you completely burn [on the altar].

I will not take up a cause against you because of your offerings, or because of your burned offerings, which 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 will take no ox out of your house, or he-goats from your flocks;

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 woodland is mine, and 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 see all the birds of the mountains, and the beasts 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 had need of food, I would not give you word of it; for the earth is mine and all its wealth.

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].

Am I to take the flesh of the ox for my food, or the blood of goats for my drink?

14 The sacrifice [that I really want is that] you thank me and do all that you have promised to do.

Make an offering of praise to God; keep the agreements which you have made with 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.

Let your voice come up to me in the day of trouble; I will be your saviour, so that you may give glory to 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,

But to the sinner, God says, What are you doing, talking of my laws, or taking the words of my agreement in your mouth?

17 because you have refused to allow me to discipline you, and you have rejected what I told you to do.

Seeing that you have no desire for my teaching, turning your back on my words.

18 Every time that you see a thief, you become his friend, and you spend [much] time with those who commit adultery.

When you saw a thief, you were in agreement with him, and you were joined with those who took other men's wives.

19 You are [always] talking [MTY] about doing wicked things, and you are [always] to deceive people.

You have given your mouth to evil, your tongue to words of deceit.

20 You are always accusing members of your own family [of doing wrong], and slandering them.

You say evil of your brother; you make false statements against your 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.

These things have you done, and I said nothing; it seemed to you that I was such a one as yourself; but I will make a protest against you, and put them in order before your eyes.

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 keep this in mind, you who have no memory of God, for fear that you may be crushed under my hand, with no one to give you help:

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.”

Whoever makes an offering of praise gives glory to me; and to him who is upright in his ways I will make clear the salvation of God.