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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.”

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.