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A psalm of Asaph.

50 The Mighty One, God, the Lord, speaks.
    He calls out to the earth
from the sunrise in the east
    to the sunset in the west.
From Zion, perfect and beautiful,
    God’s glory shines out.
Our God comes, and he won’t be silent.
    A burning fire goes ahead of him.
    A terrible storm is all around him.
He calls out to heaven and earth to be his witnesses.
    Then he judges his people.
He says, “Gather this holy people around me.
    They made a covenant with me by offering a sacrifice.”
The heavens announce that what God decides is right.
    That’s because he is a God of justice.

God says, “Listen, my people, and I will speak.
    I will be a witness against you, Israel.
    I am God, your God.
I don’t bring charges against you because of your sacrifices.
    I don’t bring charges because of the burnt offerings you always bring me.
I don’t need a bull from your barn.
    I don’t need goats from your pens.
10 Every animal in the forest already belongs to me.
    And so do the cattle on a thousand hills.
11 I own every bird in the mountains.
    The insects in the fields belong to me.
12 If I were hungry, I wouldn’t tell you.
    The world belongs to me. And so does everything in it.
13 Do I eat the meat of bulls?
    Do I drink the blood of goats?
14 Bring me thank offerings, because I am your God.
    Carry out the promises you made to me, because I am the Most High God.
15 Call out to me when trouble comes.
    I will save you. And you will honor me.”

16 But here is what God says to a sinful person.

“What right do you have to speak the words of my laws?
    How dare you speak the words of my covenant!
17 You hate my teaching.
    You turn your back on what I say.
18 When you see a thief, you join him.
    You make friends with those who commit adultery.
19 You use your mouth to speak evil.
    You use your tongue to spread lies.
20 You are a witness against your brother.
    You always tell lies about your own mother’s son.
21 When you did these things, I kept silent.
    So you thought I was just like you.
But now I’m going to bring you to court.
    I will bring charges against you.

22 “You who forget God, think about this.
    If you don’t, I will tear you to pieces.
    No one will be able to save you.
23 People who sacrifice thank offerings to me honor me.
    To those who are without blame I will show my power to save.”

Psalm 50

A psalm of Asaph.

The Mighty One, God, the Lord,(A)
    speaks and summons the earth
    from the rising of the sun to where it sets.(B)
From Zion,(C) perfect in beauty,(D)
    God shines forth.(E)
Our God comes(F)
    and will not be silent;(G)
a fire devours(H) before him,(I)
    and around him a tempest(J) rages.
He summons the heavens above,
    and the earth,(K) that he may judge his people:(L)
“Gather to me this consecrated people,(M)
    who made a covenant(N) with me by sacrifice.”
And the heavens proclaim(O) his righteousness,
    for he is a God of justice.[a][b](P)

“Listen, my people, and I will speak;
    I will testify(Q) against you, Israel:
    I am God, your God.(R)
I bring no charges(S) against you concerning your sacrifices
    or concerning your burnt offerings,(T) which are ever before me.
I have no need of a bull(U) from your stall
    or of goats(V) from your pens,(W)
10 for every animal of the forest(X) is mine,
    and the cattle on a thousand hills.(Y)
11 I know every bird(Z) in the mountains,
    and the insects in the fields(AA) are mine.
12 If I were hungry I would not tell you,
    for the world(AB) is mine, and all that is in it.(AC)
13 Do I eat the flesh of bulls
    or drink the blood of goats?

14 “Sacrifice thank offerings(AD) to God,
    fulfill your vows(AE) to the Most High,(AF)
15 and call(AG) on me in the day of trouble;(AH)
    I will deliver(AI) you, and you will honor(AJ) me.”

16 But to the wicked person, God says:

“What right have you to recite my laws
    or take my covenant(AK) on your lips?(AL)
17 You hate(AM) my instruction
    and cast my words behind(AN) you.
18 When you see a thief, you join(AO) with him;
    you throw in your lot with adulterers.(AP)
19 You use your mouth for evil
    and harness your tongue to deceit.(AQ)
20 You sit and testify against your brother(AR)
    and slander your own mother’s son.
21 When you did these things and I kept silent,(AS)
    you thought I was exactly[c] like you.
But I now arraign(AT) you
    and set my accusations(AU) before you.

22 “Consider this, you who forget God,(AV)
    or I will tear you to pieces, with no one to rescue you:(AW)
23 Those who sacrifice thank offerings honor me,
    and to the blameless[d] I will show my salvation.(AX)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 50:6 With a different word division of the Hebrew; Masoretic Text for God himself is judge
  2. Psalm 50:6 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.
  3. Psalm 50:21 Or thought the ‘I am’ was
  4. Psalm 50:23 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text; the meaning of the Masoretic Text for this phrase is uncertain.