1The Mighty One, God, the LORD, speaks. He calls out to the earth from the sunrise in the east to the sunset in the west.2From Zion, perfect and beautiful, God’s glory shines out.3Our God comes, and he won’t be silent. A burning fire goes ahead of him. A terrible storm is all around him.4He calls out to heaven and earth to be his witnesses. Then he judges his people.5He says, ‘Gather this holy people around me. They made a covenant with me by offering a sacrifice.’6The heavens announce that what God decides is right. That’s because he is a God of justice.7God says, ‘Listen, my people, and I will speak. I will be a witness against you, Israel. I am God, your God.8I don’t bring charges against you because of your sacrifices. I don’t bring charges because of the burnt offerings you always bring me.9I don’t need a bull from your barn. I don’t need goats from your pens.10Every animal in the forest already belongs to me. And so do the cattle on a thousand hills.11I own every bird in the mountains. The insects in the fields belong to me.12If I were hungry, I wouldn’t tell you. The world belongs to me. And so does everything in it.13Do I eat the meat of bulls? Do I drink the blood of goats?14Bring me thank-offerings, because I am your God. Carry out the promises you made to me, because I am the Most High God.15Call out to me when trouble comes. I will save you. And you will honour me.’16But here is what God says to a sinful person. ‘What right do you have to speak the words of my laws? How dare you speak the words of my covenant!17You hate my teaching. You turn your back on what I say.18When you see a thief, you join him. You make friends with those who commit adultery.19You use your mouth to speak evil. You use your tongue to spread lies.20You are a witness against your brother. You always tell lies about your own mother’s son.21When you did these things, I kept silent. So you thought I was just like you. But now I’m going to bring you to court. I will bring charges against you.22‘You who forget God, think about this. If you don’t, I will tear you to pieces. No one will be able to save you.23People who sacrifice thank-offerings to me honour me. To those who are without blame I will show my power to save.’
Psalm 50
English Standard Version
God Himself Is Judge
1A Psalm of Asaph. The Mighty One, God the Lord, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting. (Jos 22:22; 1Ch 6:39; 1Ch 15:17; 1Ch 16:5; 1Ch 16:7; 1Ch 25:2; 2Ch 29:30; Ps 113:3)2Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines forth. (De 33:2; Ps 48:2; Ps 80:1; Ps 94:1; La 2:15)3Our God comes; he does not keep silence;[1] before him is a devouring fire, around him a mighty tempest. (Ex 19:16; Le 10:2; Nu 16:35; Ps 21:9; Ps 97:3; Da 7:10)4He calls to the heavens above and to the earth, that he may judge his people: (De 4:26; De 31:28; De 32:1; Isa 1:2; Mic 6:1)5“Gather to me my faithful ones, who made a covenant with me by sacrifice!” (Ge 15:9; Ex 24:7)6The heavens declare his righteousness, for God himself is judge! (Ps 58:11; Ps 75:7; Ps 89:5; Ps 97:6; Re 16:5; Re 16:7; Re 19:2)7“Hear, O my people, and I will speak; O Israel, I will testify against you. I am God, your God. (Ex 20:2; Ps 49:1; Ps 81:8)8Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you; your burnt offerings are continually before me. (Ps 40:6)9I will not accept a bull from your house or goats from your folds.10For every beast of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills.11I know all the birds of the hills, and all that moves in the field is mine. (Mt 10:29)12“If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and its fullness are mine. (Ps 24:1)13Do I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats?14Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving,[2] and perform your vows to the Most High, (Nu 30:2; De 23:21; Job 22:27; Ps 22:25; Ps 27:6; Ps 50:23; Ps 61:8; Ps 65:1; Ps 69:30; Ps 76:11; Ps 107:22; Ps 116:14; Ps 116:18; Ec 5:4; Ho 14:2; Ro 12:1; Heb 13:15)15and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.” (Ps 22:23; Ps 50:23; Ps 81:7; Ps 91:15; Ps 107:6; Zec 13:9)16But to the wicked God says: “What right have you to recite my statutes or take my covenant on your lips?17For you hate discipline, and you cast my words behind you. (1Ki 14:9; Ne 9:26; Ro 2:21)18If you see a thief, you are pleased with him, and you keep company with adulterers. (Ro 1:32; 1Ti 5:22)19“You give your mouth free rein for evil, and your tongue frames deceit. (Ps 52:2)20You sit and speak against your brother; you slander your own mother’s son.21These things you have done, and I have been silent; you thought that I[3] was one like yourself. But now I rebuke you and lay the charge before you. (2Ki 19:4; Job 13:18; Job 23:4; Ps 90:8; Ec 8:11; Isa 57:11)22“Mark this, then, you who forget God, lest I tear you apart, and there be none to deliver! (Ps 7:2; Ps 9:17)23The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me; to one who orders his way rightly I will show the salvation of God!” (Ps 50:14; Ps 91:16; Ga 6:16)