Psalms 50 — AAB

The Mighty One Calls

A Psalm of Asaph.

50Verse 1The Mighty One, God the LORD,speaks and summons the earth
from where the sun rises to where it sets.^{Verse 2}From Zion, perfect in beauty,God shines forth.^{Verse 3}Our God approaches and will not be silent!Consuming fire precedes Him,
and a tempest rages around Him.^{Verse 4}He summons the heavens above,and the earth, that He may judge His people:^{Verse 5}“Gather to Me My holy ones,who made a covenant with Me by sacrifice.”^{Verse 6}And the heavens proclaim His righteousness,for God Himself is Judge.⁺Selah^{Verse 7}“Hear, O My people, and I will speak,O Israel, and I will testify against you:
I am God, your God.^{Verse 8}I do not rebuke you for your sacrifices,and your ascension offerings are ever before Me.^{Verse 9}I have no need for a bull from your stallor goats from your pens,^{Verse 10}for every beast of the forest is Mine—the cattle on a thousand hills.^{Verse 11}I know every bird in the mountains,and the creatures of the field are Mine.^{Verse 12}If I were hungry, I would not tell you,for the world is Mine, and the fullness thereof.^{Verse 13}Do I eat the flesh of bulls,or drink the blood of goats?^{Verse 14}Sacrifice a thank offering to God,and fulfill your vows to the Most High.^{Verse 15}Call upon Me in the day of trouble;I will deliver you, and you will honor Me.”^{Verse 16}To the wicked, however, God says,“What right have you to recite My statutes
and to bear My covenant on your lips?^{Verse 17}For you hate My instructionand cast My words behind you.^{Verse 18}When you see a thief, you befriend him,and throw in your lot with adulterers.^{Verse 19}You unleash your mouth for eviland harness your tongue to deceit.^{Verse 20}You sit and malign your brother;you slander your own mother’s son.^{Verse 21}You have done these things, and I kept silent;you thought I was⁺just like you.But now I rebuke youand accuse you to your face.^{+Verse 22}Now consider this, you who forget God,lest I tear you to pieces,
with no one to rescue you:^{Verse 23}He who sacrifices a thank offering honors Me,and to him who rightly orders his way,
I will show the salvation of God.”