Psalm 50:1-15

New International Reader's Version

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.
²From Zion, perfect and beautiful,
    God’s glory shines out.
³Our God comes, and he won’t be silent.
    A burning fire goes ahead of him.
    A terrible storm is all around him.
⁴He calls out to heaven and earth to be his witnesses.
    Then he judges his people.
⁵He says, “Gather this holy people around me.
    They made a covenant with me by offering a sacrifice.”
⁶The heavens announce that what God decides is right.
    That’s because he is a God of justice.

⁷God says, “Listen, my people, and I will speak.
    I will be a witness against you, Israel.
    I am God, your God.
⁸I don’t bring charges against you because of your sacrifices.
    I don’t bring charges because of the burnt offerings you always bring me.
⁹I don’t need a bull from your barn.
    I don’t need goats from your pens.
¹⁰Every animal in the forest already belongs to me.
    And so do the cattle on a thousand hills.
¹¹I own every bird in the mountains.
    The insects in the fields belong to me.
¹²If I were hungry, I wouldn’t tell you.
    The world belongs to me. And so does everything in it.
¹³Do I eat the meat of bulls?
    Do I drink the blood of goats?
¹⁴Bring me thank offerings, because I am your God.
    Carry out the promises you made to me, because I am the Most High God.
¹⁵Call out to me when trouble comes.
    I will save you. And you will honor me.”