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God Wants True Worship

A psalm of Asaph.

50 The God of gods, the Lord, speaks.
    He calls the earth from the rising to the setting sun.
God shines from Jerusalem,
    whose beauty is perfect.
Our God comes, and he will not be silent.
    A fire burns in front of him,
    and a powerful storm surrounds him.
He calls to the sky above and to the earth
    that he might judge his people.
He says, “Gather around, you who worship me,
    who have made an agreement with me, using a sacrifice.”
God is the judge,
    and even the skies say he is right. Selah

God says, “My people, listen to me;
    Israel, I will testify against you.
    I am God, your God.
I do not scold you for your sacrifices.
    You always bring me your burnt offerings.
But I do not need bulls from your stalls
    or goats from your pens,
10 because every animal of the forest is already mine.
    The cattle on a thousand hills are mine.
11 I know every bird on the mountains,
    and every living thing in the fields is mine.
12 If I were hungry, I would not tell you,
    because the earth and everything in it are mine.
13 I don’t eat the meat of bulls
    or drink the blood of goats.
14 Give an offering to show thanks to God.
    Give God Most High what you have promised.
15 Call to me in times of trouble.
    I will save you, and you will honor me.”

16 But God says to the wicked,
    “Why do you talk about my laws?
    Why do you mention my agreement?
17 You hate my teachings
    and turn your back on what I say.
18 When you see a thief, you join him.
    You take part in adultery.
19 You don’t stop your mouth from speaking evil,
    and your tongue makes up lies.
20 You speak against your brother
    and lie about your mother’s son.
21 I have kept quiet while you did these things,
    so you thought I was just like you.
But I will scold you
    and accuse you to your face.

22 “Think about this, you who forget God.
    Otherwise, I will tear you apart,
    and no one will save you.
23 Those people honor me
    who bring me offerings to show thanks.
And I, God, will save those who do that.”

The Unbelieving Fool

For the director of music. By mahalath. A maskil of David.

53 Fools say to themselves,
    “There is no God.”
Fools are evil and do terrible things;
    none of them does anything good.

God looked down from heaven on all people
    to see if anyone was wise,
    if anyone was looking to God for help.
But all have turned away.
    Together, everyone has become evil;
    none of them does anything good.
    Not a single person.

Don’t the wicked understand?
    They destroy my people as if they were eating bread.
    They do not ask God for help.
The wicked are filled with terror
    where there had been nothing to fear.
    God will scatter the bones of your enemies.
You will defeat them,
    because God has rejected them.

I pray that victory will come to Israel from Mount Zion!
    May God bring them back.
    Then the people of Jacob will rejoice,
    and the people of Israel will be glad.

A Prayer After a Defeat

For the director of music. To the tune of “Lily of the Agreement.” A miktam of David. For teaching. When David fought the Arameans of Northwest Mesopotamia and Zobah, and when Joab returned and defeated twelve thousand Edomites at the Valley of Salt.

60 God, you have rejected us and scattered us.
    You have been angry, but please come back to us.
You made the earth shake and crack.
    Heal its breaks because it is shaking.
You have given your people trouble.
    You made us unable to walk straight, like people drunk with wine.
You have raised a banner to gather those who fear you.
    Now they can stand up against the enemy. Selah

Answer us and save us by your power
    so the people you love will be rescued.

God has said from his Temple,
    “When I win, I will divide Shechem
    and measure off the Valley of Succoth.
Gilead and Manasseh are mine.
    Ephraim is like my helmet.
    Judah holds my royal scepter.
Moab is like my washbowl.
    I throw my sandals at Edom.
    I shout at Philistia.”

Who will bring me to the strong, walled city?
    Who will lead me to Edom?
10 God, surely you have rejected us;
    you do not go out with our armies.
11 Help us fight the enemy.
    Human help is useless,
12 but we can win with God’s help.
    He will defeat our enemies.

God the Judge

For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A psalm of Asaph. A song.

75 God, we thank you;
    we thank you because you are near.
    We tell about the miracles you do.

You say, “I set the time for trial,
    and I will judge fairly.
The earth with all its people may shake,
    but I am the one who holds it steady. Selah
I say to those who are proud, ‘Don’t brag,’
    and to the wicked, ‘Don’t show your power.
Don’t try to use your power against heaven.
    Don’t be stubborn.’”

No one from the east or the west
    or the desert can judge you.
God is the judge;
    he judges one person as guilty and another as innocent.
The Lord holds a cup of anger in his hand;
    it is full of wine mixed with spices.
He pours it out even to the last drop,
    and the wicked drink it all.

I will tell about this forever;
    I will sing praise to the God of Jacob.
10 He will take all power away from the wicked,
    but the power of good people will grow.

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