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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.

Zabbuli ya Asafu.

50 (A)Oyo Owaamaanyi, Mukama Katonda,
    akoowoola ensi
    okuva enjuba gy’eva okutuuka gy’egwa.
(B)Katonda ayakaayakana
    ng’ava mu Sayuuni n’obulungi bw’ekitiibwa kye ekituukiridde.
(C)Katonda waffe ajja, naye tajja kasirise,
    omuliro ogusaanyaawo buli kintu gwe gumukulembera,
    n’omuyaga ogw’amaanyi ne gumwetooloola.
(D)Akoowoola abali mu ggulu ne ku nsi,
    azze okusalira abantu be omusango.
(E)Agamba nti, “Munkuŋŋaanyize abantu bange abaayawulibwa,
    abaakola nange endagaano nga bawaayo ssaddaaka.”
(F)Eggulu litegeeza obutuukirivu bwa Katonda
    kubanga Katonda yennyini ye mulamuzi.

(G)“Muwulirize, mmwe abantu bange, nange nnaayogera.
    Ggwe Isirayiri bino bye nkuvunaana:
    Nze Katonda, Katonda wo.
(H)Sikunenya lwa ssaddaaka zo,
    oba ebiweebwayo ebyokebwa by’ossa mu maaso gange bulijjo.
(I)Sikyakkiriza nte nnume n’emu evudde mu kiralo kyo,
    wadde embuzi ennume ezivudde mu bisibo byo.
10 (J)Kubanga buli nsolo ey’omu kibira yange,
    awamu n’ente eziri ku nsozi olukumi.
11 Ennyonyi zonna ez’oku nsozi nzimanyi,
    n’ebiramu byonna eby’omu nsiko byange.
12 (K)Singa nnumwa enjala sandikubuulidde:
    kubanga ensi n’ebigirimu byonna byange.
13 Ndya ennyama y’ente ennume,
    wadde okunywa omusaayi gw’embuzi?

14 (L)“Owangayo ssaddaaka ey’okwebaza eri Katonda;
    era otuukirizanga obweyamo bwo eri oyo Ali Waggulu Ennyo.
15 (M)Bw’obanga mu buzibu,
    nnaakuwonyanga, naawe onongulumizanga.”

16 (N)Naye omubi Katonda amugamba nti,

“Lekeraawo okwatulanga amateeka gange,
    n’endagaano yange togyogerangako.
17 (O)Kubanga okyawa okuluŋŋamizibwa,
    n’ebigambo byange tobissaako mwoyo.
18 (P)Bw’olaba omubbi, ng’omukwana;
    era weetaba n’abenzi.
19 (Q)Okolima era olimba;
    olulimi lwo lwogera ebitali bya butuukirivu.
20 (R)Muganda wo omwogerako bibi byereere buli kiseera,
    era owayiriza omwana wa nnyoko yennyini.
21 (S)Ebyo byonna obikoze, ne nsirika,
    n’olowooza nti twenkanankana.
Naye kaakano ka nkunenye,
    ebisobyo byonna mbikulage.

22 (T)“Ggwe eyeerabira Katonda, ebyo bisseeko omwoyo,
    nneme kukuyuzaayuza nga tewali na wa kukuwonya.
23 (U)Oyo awaayo ssaddaaka ey’okwebaza angulumiza,
    era ateekateeka ekkubo
    ndyoke mulage obulokozi bwa Katonda.”

God Himself Is Judge

A Psalm of (A)Asaph.

50 (B)The Mighty One, God the Lord,
    speaks and summons the earth
    (C)from the rising of the sun to its setting.
Out of Zion, (D)the perfection of beauty,
    (E)God shines forth.

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

(L)“Hear, O my people, and I will speak;
    O Israel, I will testify against you.
    (M)I am God, your God.
Not for your sacrifices (N)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 beast of the forest is mine,
    the cattle on a thousand hills.
11 (O)I know all the birds of the hills,
    and all that moves in the field is mine.

12 “If I were hungry, I would not tell you,
    (P)for the world and its fullness are mine.
13 Do I eat the flesh of bulls
    or drink the blood of goats?
14 (Q)Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving,[b]
    and (R)perform your vows to the Most High,
15 and (S)call upon me in the day of trouble;
    I will (T)deliver you, and you shall (U)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 (V)For you hate discipline,
    (W)and you cast my words behind you.
18 If you see a thief, (X)you are pleased with him,
    (Y)and you keep company with adulterers.

19 “You give your mouth free rein for evil,
    (Z)and your tongue frames deceit.
20 You sit and speak against your brother;
    you slander your own mother's son.
21 These things you have done, and I (AA)have been silent;
    you thought that I[c] was one like yourself.
But now I (AB)rebuke you and (AC)lay the charge before you.

22 “Mark this, then, you who (AD)forget God,
    lest I tear you apart, and there be (AE)none to deliver!
23 The one who (AF)offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me;
    to one who (AG)orders his way rightly
    I will show the (AH)salvation of God!”

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 50:3 Or May our God come, and not keep silence
  2. Psalm 50:14 Or Make thanksgiving your sacrifice to God
  3. Psalm 50:21 Or that the I am

Psalm 50[a]

The Worship Acceptable to God

A psalm of Asaph.[b]

[c]The Lord, the God of gods,[d]
    has spoken and summoned the earth
    from the rising of the sun to its setting.
From Zion, perfect in beauty,
    God shines forth.
Our God is coming, and he will not be silent;
    he is preceded by a devouring fire,
    and a raging tempest surrounds him.[e]
He summons the heavens above
    and the earth to judge his people:
“Gather before me my faithful servants
    who made a covenant with me by sacrifice.”[f]
The heavens proclaim his saving justice,
    for God himself is the judge.[g] Selah
[h]“Listen, my people, and I will speak.
    O Israel, I will testify against you.
    I am God, your God.
I do not rebuke you for your sacrifices,
    for your burnt offerings are constantly before me.
“I will not accept a young bull from your homes
    or goats from your folds.
10 For all the living creatures of the forest are mine,
    animals by the thousands on my hills.
11 I know every bird of the air,
    and whatever moves in the fields belongs to me.
12 “If I were hungry, I would not tell you,
    for the world is mine, and all that it holds.
13 Do I eat the flesh of bulls
    or drink the blood of goats?
14 “Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving
    and fulfill your vows to the Most High.
15 Then if you cry out to me in time of trouble,
    I will rescue you, and you will honor me.”
16 [i]But to the wicked God says:
    “How can you recite my statutes
    or profess my covenant on your lips?
17 For you loathe my instruction
    and cast my words behind you.
18 “When you meet a thief, you join him;
    you revel in the company of adulterers.
19 You employ your mouth for evil,
    and your tongue frames deceit.
20 “You willingly speak against your brother
    and slander the child of your own mother.
21 When you do such things, can I remain silent?
    Do you think that I am[j] like you?
I will correct you
    and set the charge before your face.
22 “Remember this, you who forget God,[k]
    lest I tear you to pieces
    and there be no one to rescue you.
23 He who offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving honors me;
    to him who follows my way
    I will show the salvation of God.”

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 50:1 This psalm takes the form of an indictment against God’s people for the formalistic practice of their religion and a request for sacrifices of praise accompanied by obedience. It is divided into three parts: (1) the announcement of the Lord’s arrival and the convening of the court (vv. 1-6); (2) the Lord’s words of correction (vv. 7-15); (3) his rebuke for the wicked and promise of reward or punishment (vv. 16-23). The psalm itself may have been composed for a temple liturgy for reaffirming commitment to the covenant.
    In praying this psalm, we should recall that Jesus also condemned formalism. Christ does not reproach us for our external worship, our beautiful liturgical celebrations, vows, oblations, or sacrifices. However, all these must truly reflect sentiments of profound religion—“a living sacrifice that is holy and acceptable to God” (Rom 12:1).
  2. Psalm 50:1 Asaph: probably a choral leader in the Jerusalem temple (see notes on Pss 73–89).
  3. Psalm 50:1 The author knows how to conjure up the whole apparatus of a divine manifestation. God himself solemnly appears to challenge those who dishonor worship and the law and to recall for them the great demands of the covenant. Israel must realize that the God of Zion is the God of Sinai (see Ex 19:16-20). It is a picture of the Last Judgment.
  4. Psalm 50:1 The Lord, the God of gods: in Hebrew, a threefold formula for the divine name that can also be translated as: “The Mighty One, God, the Lord.” It is found elsewhere only in Jos 22:22 (also see Deut 10:17). This psalm is notable for the seven names or other titles it uses for God (v. 1: the God of gods [or: The Mighty One], “God,” “Lord”; v. 6: “judge”; v. 14: “Most High”; v. 21: “I am”; v. 22: “God”—alternative word, Eloah).
  5. Psalm 50:3 The Lord is the Ruler of the universe and his appearance is attended by phenomena calculated to create awe in his subjects: fire and a tempest. When he comes in judgment, he is like a consuming fire (see Deut 4:24; 9:3; Isa 66:16; Heb 12:29); in his anger, he may also storm like a tempest (see Isa 66:15).
  6. Psalm 50:5 Those consecrated to the Lord had made a covenant with him that was sealed by sacrifices (see Ex 24:4-8).
  7. Psalm 50:6 Judge: a title for God (see Ps 94:2; Gen 18:25; Jdg 11:27).
  8. Psalm 50:7 Pagans might have imagined that they owed food subsidies to their gods; the Lord has no need of our earthly goods, for everything belongs to him. This diatribe against purely external worship occurs often in the Bible, notably in the Prophets (see 1 Sam 15:22; 1 Chr 29:16-19; Isa 1:10-16; 29:13f; 58:1-8; Jer 6:20; 7:21; Hos 6:6; Joel 2:12; Mic 6:5-8; Zec 7:4-6; Mal 1:10) and is also found elsewhere in the Psalter (see Pss 40:7-9; 51:18f, etc.). The passages do not condemn sacrifices or worship in general, but only the formalism that is satisfied with performing external rites. We cannot bribe God; we can only acknowledge him by prayer and thanksgiving: this was the constant attitude of Jesus toward his Father. Truly religious persons are aware of their limitations; they await everything from God and realize that they owe him everything. The Gospel will lay a heavy emphasis on this teaching (see Mt 5:23; 12:7; Mk 12:33), and Paul will in turn repeat it in his instruction on worship in spirit (Rom 12:1; Phil 2:17; 3:3).
  9. Psalm 50:16 Another type of formalism is to have religion or the law on one’s lips more than in one’s heart and life. There is no authentic faith unless it includes a moral commitment and notably that of justice and respect toward others: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my heavenly Father” (Mt 7:21).
  10. Psalm 50:21 I am: the formula that reveals the name of the Lord in the Old Testament (see Ex 3:14; Isa 41:4, 10, 14; 43:1-3, 10, 13). See notes on Mk 4:26; 6:50.
  11. Psalm 50:22 God: here the Hebrew is a relatively rare poetic word, Eloah, found frequently in Job (see also Pss 18:33; 139:19; Deut 32:15, 17; Hab 3:3).

50 The mighty God, even the Lord, hath spoken, and called the earth from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof.

Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined.

Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him.

He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that he may judge his people.

Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.

And the heavens shall declare his righteousness: for God is judge himself. Selah.

Hear, O my people, and I will speak; O Israel, and I will testify against thee: I am God, even thy God.

I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices or thy burnt offerings, to have been continually before me.

I will take no bullock out of thy house, nor he goats out of thy folds.

10 For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills.

11 I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine.

12 If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof.

13 Will I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats?

14 Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High:

15 And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.

16 But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth?

17 Seeing thou hatest instruction, and casteth my words behind thee.

18 When thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with him, and hast been partaker with adulterers.

19 Thou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit.

20 Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother; thou slanderest thine own mother's son.

21 These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself: but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes.

22 Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver.

23 Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God.