Psalms 50

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

9 But I do not really need [you to sacrifice] the bulls from your barns and the 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.

11 I [own and] know all the birds and all [the creatures] that move around in the fields.

12 [So], if I were hungry, I would not tell you [to bring me some food], because everything in the world belongs to me!

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].

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

15 And pray to me when you have troubles. [If you do that], I will rescue you, and [then] you will praise 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,

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

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.”