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God Wants True Worship

A psalm 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 powerful storm surrounds him.
He calls to the sky above and to the earth
    that he might judge his people.
He says, “Gather around, you who worship me,
    who have made an agreement with me, using a sacrifice.”
God is the judge,
    and 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 bulls from your stalls
    or goats from your pens,
10 because every animal of the forest is already mine.
    The cattle on a thousand hills are mine.
11 I know every bird on the mountains,
    and every living thing in the fields is mine.
12 If I were hungry, I would not tell you,
    because the earth and everything in 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,
    “Why do you talk about my laws?
    Why do you mention my agreement?
17 You hate my teachings
    and 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,
    and your tongue makes up lies.
20 You speak against your brother
    and 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
    and accuse you to your face.

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

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.