Psalms 50

God Wants True Worship

¹The God of gods, the Lord , speaks.

He calls the earth from the rising to the setting sun.

²God shines from Jerusalem,

whose beauty is perfect.

³Our God comes, and he will not be silent.

A fire burns in front of him,

and a powerful storm surrounds him.

⁴He calls to the sky above and to the earth

that he might judge his people.

⁵He says, “Gather around, you who worship me,

who have made an agreement with me, using a sacrifice.”

⁶God is the judge,

and even the skies say he is right. Selah

⁷God says, “My people, listen to me;

Israel, I will testify against you.

I am God, your God.

⁸I do not scold you for your sacrifices.

You always bring me your burnt offerings.

⁹But I do not need bulls from your stalls

or goats from your pens,

¹⁰because every animal of the forest is already mine.

The cattle on a thousand hills are mine.

¹¹I know every bird on the mountains,

and every living thing in the fields is mine.

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

because the earth and everything in it are mine.

¹³I don’t eat the meat of bulls

or drink the blood of goats.

¹⁴Give an offering to show thanks to God.

Give God Most High what you have promised.

¹⁵Call to me in times of trouble.

I will save you, and you will honor me.”

¹⁶But God says to the wicked,

“Why do you talk about my laws?

Why do you mention my agreement?

¹⁷You hate my teachings

and turn your back on what I say.

¹⁸When you see a thief, you join him.

You take part in adultery.

¹⁹You don’t stop your mouth from speaking evil,

and your tongue makes up lies.

²⁰You speak against your brother

and lie about your mother’s son.

²¹I 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.

²³Those people honor me

who bring me offerings to show thanks.

And I, God, will save those who do that.”