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God Wants True Worship

A song of Asaph.

50 The God of gods, the Lord, speaks.
    He calls the earth from the rising to the setting sun.
God shines from Jerusalem,
    whose beauty is perfect.
Our God comes, and he will not be silent.
    A fire burns in front of him,
    and a storm surrounds him.
He calls to the sky and to the earth
    to see him judge his people.
He says, “You who worship me, gather around.
    You have made an agreement with me, using a sacrifice.”
God is the judge.
    Even the skies say he is right. Selah

God says, “My people, listen to me.
    Israel, I will testify against you.
    I am God, your God.
I do not scold you for your sacrifices.
    You always bring me your burnt offerings.
But I do not need the bulls from your stalls
    or the goats from your pens.
10 Every animal of the forest is already mine.
    The cattle on a thousand hills are mine.
11 I know every bird on the mountains.
    Every living thing in the fields is mine.
12 If I were hungry, I would not tell you.
    The earth and everything on it are mine.
13 I don’t eat the meat of bulls
    or drink the blood of goats.
14 Give an offering to show thanks to God.
    Give God Most High what you have promised.
15 Call to me in times of trouble.
    I will save you, and you will honor me.”

16 But God says to the wicked people,
    “Why do you talk about my laws?
    Why do you mention my agreement?
17 You hate my teachings.
    You turn your back on what I say.
18 When you see a thief, you join him.
    You take part in adultery.
19 You don’t stop your mouth from speaking evil.
    Your tongue makes up lies.
20 You speak against your brother.
    You lie about your mother’s son.
21 I have kept quiet while you did these things.
    So you thought I was just like you.
But I will scold you.
    I will accuse you to your face.

22 “Think about this, you people who forget God.
    Otherwise, I will tear you apart,
    and no one will save you.
23 Those people honor me
    who give me offerings to show thanks.
And I, God, will save those who do that.”

50 The mighty God, even the Lord, hath spoken, and called the earth from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof.

Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined.

Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him.

He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that he may judge his people.

Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.

And the heavens shall declare his righteousness: for God is judge himself. Selah.

Hear, O my people, and I will speak; O Israel, and I will testify against thee: I am God, even thy God.

I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices or thy burnt offerings, to have been continually before me.

I will take no bullock out of thy house, nor he goats out of thy folds.

10 For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills.

11 I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine.

12 If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof.

13 Will I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats?

14 Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High:

15 And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.

16 But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth?

17 Seeing thou hatest instruction, and casteth my words behind thee.

18 When thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with him, and hast been partaker with adulterers.

19 Thou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit.

20 Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother; thou slanderest thine own mother's son.

21 These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself: but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes.

22 Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver.

23 Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God.