Psalms 50

God as Judge

A psalm of Asaph. # 50:title 1Ch 16:5,7

1 The Mighty One, God,  * 50:1 Or The God of gods the  Lord, speaks;

he summons the earth

from the rising of the sun to its setting.  * 50:1 Jos 22:22; Ps 113:3

2 From Zion, the perfection of beauty,

God appears in radiance.  * 50:2 Or God shines forth,* 50:2 Dt 33:2; Ps 48:2; Lm 2:15

3 Our God is coming; he will not be silent!

Devouring fire precedes him,

and a storm rages around him.  * 50:3 Ps 18:12–13; 97:3

4 On high, he summons heaven and earth

in order to judge his people:  * 50:4 Dt 4:26; 31:28; 32:1; Is 1:2

5 "Gather my faithful ones to me,

those who made a covenant with me by sacrifice."  * 50:5 Ex 24:4–8; 2Ch 6:11

6 The heavens proclaim his righteousness,  * 50:6 Ps 89:5; 97:6

for God is the Judge.  * 50:6 Ps 75:7; 96:13Selah

7 "Listen, my people, and I will speak;

I will testify against you, Israel.

I am God, your God.  * 50:7 Dt 31:21; Ps 81:8

8 I do not rebuke you for your sacrifices

or for your burnt offerings,

which are continually before me.  * 50:8 1Sm 15:22; Ps 40:6; 51:16

9 I will not take a bull from your household

or male goats from your pens,  * 50:9 Ps 69:31

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.  * 50:10–11 Ex 19:5; Ps 104:24

12 If I were hungry, I would not tell you,

for the world and everything in it is mine.  * 50:12 Dt 10:14; Ps 24:1; 1Co 10:26

13 Do I eat the flesh of bulls

or drink the blood of goats?  * 50:13 Is 1:11

14 Offer a thanksgiving sacrifice to God,  * 50:14 Lv 7:12; Ps 107:22; 116:17

and pay your vows to the Most High.  * 50:14 Dt 23:21; Ps 76:11

15 Call on me in a day of trouble;

I will rescue you, and you will honor me."  * 50:15 Ps 20:1; 59:16; 77:2

16 But God says to the wicked:

"What right do you have to recite my statutes

and to take my covenant on your lips?  * 50:16 Is 29:13

17 You hate instruction

and fling my words behind you.  * 50:17 Pr 5:12; 12:1

18 When you see a thief,

you make friends with him,

and you associate with adulterers.  * 50:18 Rm 1:32; 1Tm 5:22

19 You unleash your mouth for evil

and harness your tongue for deceit.  * 50:19 Ps 10:7; 36:3; 52:2

20 You sit, maligning your brother,

slandering your mother’s son.  * 50:20 Jb 19:18; Mt 10:21

21 You have done these things, and I kept silent;

you thought I was just like you.  * 50:21 Is 42:14; 57:11

But I will rebuke you

and lay out the case before you.  * 50:21 Lit lay it out before your eyes,* 50:21 Ps 90:8

22 "Understand this, you who forget God,

or I will tear you apart,

and there will be no one to rescue you.  * 50:22 Jb 8:13; Ps 9:17

23 Whoever offers a thanksgiving sacrifice honors me,

and whoever orders his conduct,

I will show him the salvation of God."  * 50:23 Ps 85:13; 91:16; Gl 6:16