Psalm 50

1 [Psalm Of Asaph] The God of gods, Yahweh, is speaking, from east to west he summons the earth.

2 From Zion, perfection of beauty, he shines forth;

3 he is coming, our God, and will not be silent. Devouring fire ahead of him, raging tempest around him,

4 he summons the heavens from on high, and the earth to judge his people.

5 'Gather to me my faithful, who sealed my covenant by sacrifice.'

6 The heavens proclaim his saving justice, 'God himself is judge.'

7 'Listen, my people, I am speaking, Israel, I am giving evidence against you, I, God, your God.

8 'It is not with your sacrifices that I find fault, those burnt offerings constantly before me;

9 I will not accept any bull from your homes, nor a single goat from your folds.

10 'For all forest creatures are mine already, the animals on the mountains in their thousands.

11 I know every bird in the air, whatever moves in the fields is mine.

12 'If I am hungry I shall not tell you, since the world and all it holds is mine.

13 Am I to eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats?

14 'Let thanksgiving be your sacrifice to God, fulfill the vows you make to the Most High;

15 then if you call to me in time of trouble I will rescue you and you will honor me.'

16 But to the wicked, God says: 'What right have you to recite my statutes, to take my covenant on your lips,

17 when you detest my teaching, and thrust my words behind you?

18 'You make friends with a thief as soon as you see one, you feel at home with adulterers,

19 your conversation is devoted to wickedness, and your tongue to inventing lies.

20 'You sit there, slandering your own brother, you malign your own mother's son.

21 You do this, and am I to say nothing? Do you think that I am really like you? I charge you, indict you to your face.

22 'Think it out, you who forget God, or I will tear you apart without hope of a rescuer.

23 Honor to me is a sacrifice of thanksgiving; to the upright I will show God's salvation.'