Psalm 50

God as Judge

A psalm of Asaph.(A)

The Mighty One, God,[a] the Lord, speaks;
he summons the earth
from the rising of the sun to its setting.(B)
From Zion, the perfection of beauty,
God appears in radiance.[b](C)
Our God is coming; he will not be silent!
Devouring fire precedes him,
and a storm rages around him.(D)
On high, he summons heaven and earth
in order to judge his people:(E)
“Gather my faithful ones to me,
those who made a covenant with me by sacrifice.”(F)
The heavens proclaim his righteousness,(G)
for God is the Judge.(H)Selah

“Listen, my people, and I will speak;
I will testify against you, Israel.
I am God, your God.(I)
I do not rebuke you for your sacrifices
or for your burnt offerings,
which are continually before me.(J)
I will not take a bull from your household
or male goats from your pens,(K)
10 for every animal of the forest is mine,
the cattle on a thousand hills.
11 I know every bird of the mountains,
and the creatures of the field are mine.(L)
12 If I were hungry, I would not tell you,
for the world and everything in it is mine.(M)
13 Do I eat the flesh of bulls
or drink the blood of goats?(N)
14 Offer a thanksgiving sacrifice to God,(O)
and pay your vows to the Most High.(P)
15 Call on me in a day of trouble;
I will rescue you, and you will honor me.”(Q)

16 But God says to the wicked:
“What right do you have to recite my statutes
and to take my covenant on your lips?(R)
17 You hate instruction
and fling my words behind you.(S)
18 When you see a thief,
you make friends with him,
and you associate with adulterers.(T)
19 You unleash your mouth for evil
and harness your tongue for deceit.(U)
20 You sit, maligning your brother,
slandering your mother’s son.(V)
21 You have done these things, and I kept silent;
you thought I was just like you.(W)
But I will rebuke you
and lay out the case before you.[c](X)

22 “Understand this, you who forget God,
or I will tear you apart,
and there will be no one to rescue you.(Y)
23 Whoever offers a thanksgiving sacrifice honors me,
and whoever orders his conduct,
I will show him the salvation of God.”(Z)

Footnotes

  1. 50:1 Or The God of gods
  2. 50:2 Or God shines forth
  3. 50:21 Lit lay it out before your eyes

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