Print Page Options

Psalm 50[a]

The Acceptable Sacrifice

A psalm of Asaph.

I

The God of gods, the Lord,
    has spoken and summoned the earth
    from the rising of the sun to its setting.(A)
From Zion, the perfection of beauty,
God shines forth.(B)
Our God comes and will not be silent!
    Devouring fire precedes him,
    it rages strongly around him.(C)
He calls to the heavens above
    and to the earth to judge his people:
“Gather my loyal ones to me,
    those who made a covenant with me by sacrifice.”
The heavens proclaim his righteousness,
    for God himself is the judge.(D)
Selah

II

“Listen, my people, I will speak;
    Israel, I will testify against you;
    God, your God, am I.
Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you,
    your burnt offerings are always before me.
I will not take a bullock from your house,
    or he-goats from your folds.(E)
10 For every animal of the forest is mine,
    beasts by the thousands on my mountains.
11 I know every bird in the heights;
    whatever moves in the wild is mine.
12 Were I hungry, I would not tell you,
    for mine is the world and all that fills it.(F)
13 Do I eat the flesh of bulls
    or drink the blood of he-goats?
14 Offer praise as your sacrifice to God;(G)
    fulfill your vows to the Most High.
15 Then call on me on the day of distress;(H)
    I will rescue you, and you shall honor me.”

III

16 But to the wicked God says:
    “Why do you recite my commandments
    and profess my covenant with your mouth?
17 You hate discipline;
    you cast my words behind you!
18 If you see a thief, you run with him;
    with adulterers you throw in your lot.
19 You give your mouth free rein for evil;
    you yoke your tongue to deceit.
20 You sit and speak against your brother,
    slandering your mother’s son.
21 When you do these things should I be silent?
    Do you think that I am like you?
    I accuse you, I lay out the matter before your eyes.

IV

22 “Now understand this, you who forget God,
    lest I start ripping apart and there be no rescuer.
23 Those who offer praise as a sacrifice honor me;
    I will let him whose way is steadfast
    look upon the salvation of God.”(I)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 50 A covenant lawsuit stating that the sacrifice God really wants is the sacrifice of praise accompanied by genuine obedience (cf. Mi 6:1–8). It begins with a theophany and the summoning of the court (Ps 50:1–6). Then in direct address God explains what is required of the faithful (Ps 50:7–15), rebukes the hypocritical worshiper (Ps 50:16–21), and concludes with a threat and a promise (Ps 50:22–23; cf. Is 1:19–20).

Psalm 50

The Acceptable Sacrifice

A Psalm of Asaph.

The mighty one, God the Lord,
    speaks and summons the earth
    from the rising of the sun to its setting.
Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty,
    God shines forth.

Our God comes and does not keep silence,
    before him is a devouring fire,
    and a mighty tempest all around him.
He calls to the heavens above
    and to the earth, that he may judge his people:
“Gather to me my faithful ones,
    who made a covenant with me by sacrifice!”
The heavens declare his righteousness,
    for God himself is judge.Selah

“Hear, O my people, and I will speak,
    O Israel, I will testify against you.
    I am God, your God.
Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you;
    your burnt offerings are continually before me.
I will not accept a bull from your house,
    or goats from your folds.
10 For every wild animal of the forest is mine,
    the cattle on a thousand hills.
11 I know all the birds of the air,[a]
    and all that moves in the field is mine.

12 “If I were hungry, I would not tell you,
    for the world and all that is in it is mine.
13 Do I eat the flesh of bulls,
    or drink the blood of goats?
14 Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving,[b]
    and pay your vows to the Most High.
15 Call on me in the day of trouble;
    I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.”

16 But to the wicked God says:
    “What right have you to recite my statutes,
    or take my covenant on your lips?
17 For you hate discipline,
    and you cast my words behind you.
18 You make friends with a thief when you see one,
    and you keep company with adulterers.

19 “You give your mouth free rein for evil,
    and your tongue frames deceit.
20 You sit and speak against your kin;
    you slander your own mother’s child.
21 These things you have done and I have been silent;
    you thought that I was one just like yourself.
But now I rebuke you, and lay the charge before you.

22 “Mark this, then, you who forget God,
    or I will tear you apart, and there will be no one to deliver.
23 Those who bring thanksgiving as their sacrifice honor me;
    to those who go the right way[c]
    I will show the salvation of God.”

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 50:11 Gk Syr Tg: Heb mountains
  2. Psalm 50:14 Or make thanksgiving your sacrifice to God
  3. Psalm 50:23 Heb who set a way

True Worship[a]

50 The Almighty God, the Lord, speaks;
    he calls to the whole earth from east to west.
God shines from Zion,
    the city perfect in its beauty.

Our God is coming, but not in silence;
    a raging fire is in front of him,
    a furious storm around him.
He calls heaven and earth as witnesses
    to see him judge his people.
He says, “Gather my faithful people to me,
    those who made a covenant with me by offering a sacrifice.”
The heavens proclaim that God is righteous,
    that he himself is judge.

“Listen, my people, and I will speak;
    I will testify against you, Israel.
    I am God, your God.
I do not reprimand you because of your sacrifices
    and the burnt offerings you always bring me.
And yet I do not need bulls from your farms
    or goats from your flocks;
10 all the animals in the forest are mine
    and the cattle on thousands of hills.
11 All the wild birds are mine
    and all living things in the fields.

12 “If I were hungry, I would not ask you for food,
    for the world and everything in it is mine.
13 Do I eat the flesh of bulls
    or drink the blood of goats?
14 Let the giving of thanks be your sacrifice to God,[b]
    and give the Almighty all that you promised.
15 Call to me when trouble comes;
    I will save you,
    and you will praise me.”

16 But God says to the wicked,
    “Why should you recite my commandments?
    Why should you talk about my covenant?
17 You refuse to let me correct you;
    you reject my commands.
18 You become the friend of every thief you see,
    and you associate with adulterers.

19 “You are always ready to speak evil;
    you never hesitate to tell lies.
20 You are ready to accuse your own relatives
    and to find fault with them.
21 You have done all this, and I have said nothing,
    so you thought that I am like you.
But now I reprimand you
    and make the matter plain to you.

22 “Listen to this, you that ignore me,
    or I will destroy you,
    and there will be no one to save you.
23 Giving thanks is the sacrifice that honors me,
    and I will surely save all who obey me.”

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 50:1 HEBREW TITLE: A psalm by Asaph.
  2. Psalm 50:14 Let the giving … to God; or Offer your thanksgiving sacrifice to God.

God, the Judge of the Righteous and the Wicked.

A Psalm of [a]Asaph.

50 (A)The Mighty One, God, the Lord, has spoken
And summoned the earth, (B)from [b]the rising of the sun to its setting.
Out of Zion, (C)the perfection of beauty,
God (D)has shone.
May our God (E)come and not keep silent;
(F)Fire devours before Him,
And a storm is violently (G)raging around Him.
He (H)summons the heavens above,
And the earth, to judge His people:
“Gather My (I)godly ones to Me,
Those who have made a (J)covenant with Me by (K)sacrifice.”
And the (L)heavens declare His righteousness,
For (M)God Himself is judge. Selah

(N)Hear, My people, and I will speak;
Israel, I will testify [c]against you;
I am God, (O)your God.
I do (P)not rebuke you for your sacrifices,
And your burnt offerings are continually before Me.
I will not take a (Q)bull from your house,
Nor male goats from your folds.
10 For (R)every animal of the forest is Mine,
The cattle on a thousand hills.
11 I know every (S)bird of the mountains,
And everything that moves in the field is [d]Mine.
12 If I were hungry I would not tell you,
For the (T)world is Mine, and [e]everything it contains.
13 Shall I eat the flesh of [f](U)bulls
Or drink the blood of male goats?
14 Offer God (V)a sacrifice of thanksgiving
And (W)pay your vows to the Most High;
15 (X)Call upon Me on the day of trouble;
I will (Y)rescue you, and you will (Z)honor Me.”

16 But to the wicked God says,
“What right do you have to tell of My statutes
And to take (AA)My covenant in your mouth?
17 For you yourself (AB)hate discipline,
And you (AC)throw My words behind you.
18 When you see a thief, you (AD)become friends with him,
And [g]you (AE)associate with adulterers.
19 You [h](AF)let your mouth loose in evil,
And your (AG)tongue harnesses deceit.
20 You sit and (AH)speak against your brother;
You slander your own mother’s son.
21 These things you have done and (AI)I kept silent;
You thought that I was just like you;
I will (AJ)rebuke you and present the case before your eyes.

22 “Now consider this, you who (AK)forget God,
Or I will (AL)tear you in pieces, and there will be no one to save you.
23 He who (AM)offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving honors Me;
And to him who (AN)sets his way properly
I will (AO)show the salvation of God.”

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 50 Title 1 Chr 15:17; 2 Chr 29:30
  2. Psalm 50:1 I.e., the east to the west
  3. Psalm 50:7 Or to
  4. Psalm 50:11 Or in My mind; lit with Me
  5. Psalm 50:12 Lit its fullness
  6. Psalm 50:13 Lit strong ones
  7. Psalm 50:18 Lit your part is with
  8. Psalm 50:19 Lit send

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.