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A Psalm by Asaph.

50 The Mighty One, God, Yahweh, speaks,
    and calls the earth from sunrise to sunset.
Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty,
    God shines out.
Our God comes, and does not keep silent.
    A fire devours before him.
    It is very stormy around him.
He calls to the heavens above,
    to the earth, that he may judge his people:
“Gather my saints together to me,
    those who have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.”
The heavens shall declare his righteousness,
    for God himself is judge. Selah.
“Hear, my people, and I will speak.
    Israel, I will testify against you.
I am God, your God.
I don’t rebuke you for your sacrifices.
    Your burnt offerings are continually before me.
I have no need for a bull from your stall,
    nor male goats from your pens.
10 For every animal of the forest is mine,
    and the livestock on a thousand hills.
11 I know all the birds of the mountains.
    The wild animals of the field are mine.
12 If I were hungry, I would not tell you,
    for the world is mine, and all that is in it.
13 Will I eat the meat of bulls,
    or drink the blood of goats?
14 Offer to God the sacrifice of thanksgiving.
    Pay your vows to the Most High.
15 Call on me in the day of trouble.
    I will deliver you, and you will honor me.”

16 But to the wicked God says,
    “What right do you have to declare my statutes,
    that you have taken my covenant on your lips,
17     since you hate instruction,
    and throw my words behind you?
18 When you saw a thief, you consented with him,
    and have participated with adulterers.

19 “You give your mouth to evil.
    Your tongue frames deceit.
20 You sit and speak against your brother.
    You slander your own mother’s son.
21 You have done these things, and I kept silent.
    You thought that I was just like you.
    I will rebuke you, and accuse you in front of your eyes.

22 “Now consider this, you who forget God,
    lest I tear you into pieces, and there be no one to deliver.
23 Whoever offers the sacrifice of thanksgiving glorifies me,
    and prepares his way so that I will show God’s salvation to him.”

A song of Asaph.

The Acceptable Sacrifice

50 God, the Lord,[a] has spoken.
    He has summoned the earth
        from the rising of the sun to its setting place.
From Zion, the perfection of beauty,
    God has shined forth.
Our God has appeared and he has not been silent;
    a devouring fire blazed before him,
        and a mighty storm swirled around him.
He summoned the heavens above
    and the earth below,[b]
        to sit in judgment on his people.

“Assemble before me, my saints,
    who have entered into my covenant by sacrifice.”

The heavens revealed his justice,
    for God is himself the judge.
Interlude

“Listen, my people,
    for I am making a pronouncement:
        Israel, I, God, your God, am testifying against you.
I do not rebuke you because of your sacrifices;
    indeed, your burnt offerings are continuously before me.
I will no longer accept a sacrificial[c] bull from your household;
    nor goats from your pens.
10 Indeed, every animal of the forest is mine,
    even the cattle on a thousand hills.
11 I know all the birds in the mountains;
    indeed, everything that moves in the field is mine.
12 “If I were hungry, I would not tell you;
    for the world is mine along with everything in it.
13 Why should I eat the flesh of oxen
    or drink the blood of goats?
14 Offer to God a thanksgiving praise;
    pay your vows to the Most High.
15 Call on me in the day of distress;
    I will deliver you, and you will glorify me.”

16 As for the wicked, God says,

“How dare you recite my statutes
    or speak about my covenant with your lips!
17 You hate instruction
    and toss my words behind you.
18 When you see a thief, you befriend him,
    and you keep company with adulterers.
19 You give your mouth free reign for evil,
    and your tongue devises deceit.
20 You sit and speak against your brother;
    you slander your own mother’s son.
21 These things you did, and I kept silent,
    because you assumed that I was like you.
But now I am going to rebuke you,
    and I will set forth my case before your very own eyes.”

22 Consider this, you who have forgotten God—
    Otherwise, I will tear you in pieces
        and there will be no deliverer:
23 Whoever offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving glorifies me,
    and I will reveal the salvation of God
        to whomever continues in my way.”[d]

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 50:1 Or The mighty God
  2. Psalm 50:4 The Heb. lacks below
  3. Psalm 50:9 The Heb. lacks sacrificial
  4. Psalm 50:23 Lit. sets a way