1 Psalm 50 God as Judge A psalm of Asaph. The Mighty One, God, Or The God of gods the Lord , speaks; he summons the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting.2 From Zion, the perfection of beauty, God appears in radiance. Or God shines forth 3 Our God is coming; he will not be silent! Devouring fire precedes him, and a storm rages around him.4 On high, he summons heaven and earth in order to judge his people:5 “Gather my faithful ones to me, those who made a covenant with me by sacrifice.”6 The heavens proclaim his righteousness, for God is the Judge. Selah 7 “Listen, my people, and I will speak; I will testify against you, Israel. I am God, your God.8 I do not rebuke you for your sacrifices or for your burnt offerings, which are continually before me.9 I will not take a bull from your household or male goats from your pens,10 for every animal of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills.11 I know every bird of the mountains, and the creatures of the field are mine.12 If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and everything in it is mine.13 Do I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats?14 Sacrifice a thank offering to God, and pay your vows to the Most High.15 Call on me in a day of trouble; I will rescue you, and you will honor me.”16 But God says to the wicked: “What right do you have to recite my statutes and to take my covenant on your lips?17 You hate instruction and fling my words behind you.18 When you see a thief, you make friends with him, and you associate with adulterers.19 You unleash your mouth for evil and harness your tongue for deceit.20 You sit, maligning your brother, slandering your mother’s son.21 You have done these things, and I kept silent; you thought I was just like you. But I will rebuke you and lay out the case before you. Lit lay it out before your eyes 22 “Understand this, you who forget God, or I will tear you apart, and there will be no one to rescue you.23 Whoever sacrifices a thank offering honors me, and whoever orders his conduct, I will show him the salvation of God.”