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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

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