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True Worship[a]

50 The Almighty God, the Lord, speaks;
    he calls to the whole earth from east to west.
God shines from Zion,
    the city perfect in its beauty.

Our God is coming, but not in silence;
    a raging fire is in front of him,
    a furious storm around him.
He calls heaven and earth as witnesses
    to see him judge his people.
He says, “Gather my faithful people to me,
    those who made a covenant with me by offering a sacrifice.”
The heavens proclaim that God is righteous,
    that he himself is judge.

“Listen, my people, and I will speak;
    I will testify against you, Israel.
    I am God, your God.
I do not reprimand you because of your sacrifices
    and the burnt offerings you always bring me.
And yet I do not need bulls from your farms
    or goats from your flocks;
10 all the animals in the forest are mine
    and the cattle on thousands of hills.
11 All the wild birds are mine
    and all living things in the fields.

12 “If I were hungry, I would not ask you for food,
    for the world and everything in it is mine.
13 Do I eat the flesh of bulls
    or drink the blood of goats?
14 Let the giving of thanks be your sacrifice to God,[b]
    and give the Almighty all that you promised.
15 Call to me when trouble comes;
    I will save you,
    and you will praise me.”

16 But God says to the wicked,
    “Why should you recite my commandments?
    Why should you talk about my covenant?
17 You refuse to let me correct you;
    you reject my commands.
18 You become the friend of every thief you see,
    and you associate with adulterers.

19 “You are always ready to speak evil;
    you never hesitate to tell lies.
20 You are ready to accuse your own relatives
    and to find fault with them.
21 You have done all this, and I have said nothing,
    so you thought that I am like you.
But now I reprimand you
    and make the matter plain to you.

22 “Listen to this, you that ignore me,
    or I will destroy you,
    and there will be no one to save you.
23 Giving thanks is the sacrifice that honors me,
    and I will surely save all who obey me.”

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 50:1 HEBREW TITLE: A psalm by Asaph.
  2. Psalm 50:14 Let the giving … to God; or Offer your thanksgiving sacrifice to God.

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.