Psalm 50

A psalm of Asaph. ¹The LORD, the Mighty One, is God, and he has spoken; he has summoned all humanity from where the sun rises to where it sets. ² From Mount Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines in glorious radiance. ³ Our God approaches, and he is not silent. Fire devours everything in his way, and a great storm rages around him. ⁴ He calls on the heavens above and earth below to witness the judgment of his people. ⁵ “Bring my faithful people to me— those who made a covenant with me by giving sacrifices.” ⁶ Then let the heavens proclaim his justice, for God himself will be the judge.Interlude

⁷“O my people, listen as I speak. Here are my charges against you, O Israel: I am God, your God! ⁸ I have no complaint about your sacrifices or the burnt offerings you constantly offer. ⁹ But I do not need the bulls from your barns or the goats from your pens. ¹⁰ For all the animals of the forest are mine, and I own the cattle on a thousand hills. ¹¹ I know every bird on the mountains, and all the animals of the field are mine. ¹² If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for all the world is mine and everything in it. ¹³ Do I eat the meat of bulls? Do I drink the blood of goats? ¹⁴ Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God, and keep the vows you made to the Most High. ¹⁵ Then call on me when you are in trouble, and I will rescue you, and you will give me glory.”

¹⁶But God says to the wicked: “Why bother reciting my decrees and pretending to obey my covenant? ¹⁷ For you refuse my discipline and treat my words like trash. ¹⁸ When you see thieves, you approve of them, and you spend your time with adulterers. ¹⁹ Your mouth is filled with wickedness, and your tongue is full of lies. ²⁰ You sit around and slander your brother— your own mother’s son. ²¹ While you did all this, I remained silent, and you thought I didn’t care. But now I will rebuke you, listing all my charges against you. ²² Repent, all of you who forget me, or I will tear you apart, and no one will help you. ²³ But giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors me. If you keep to my path, I will reveal to you the salvation of God.”