Psalms, chapter 50

What Pleases God

From east to west, the powerful Lord God

has been calling together everyone on earth.

²God shines brightly from Zion, the most beautiful city.

³Our God approaches, but not silently;

a flaming fire comes first, and a stormI surrounds him.

⁴God comes to judge his people.

He shouts to the heavens and to the earth,

⁵“Call my followers together! They offered me a sacrifice,

and we made an agreementI.”

⁶The heavens announce, “God is the judge,

and he is always honest.”

⁷My people, I am God! Israel, I am your God.

Listen to my charges against you.

⁸Although you offer sacrifices and always bring gifts,

⁹I won't accept your offerings of bulls and goats.

¹⁰Every animal in the forest belongs to me,

and so do the cattle on a thousand hills.

¹¹I know all the birds in the mountains,

and every wild creature is in my care.

¹²If I were hungry, I wouldn't tell you,

because I own the world and everything in it.

¹³I don't eat the meat of bulls or drink the blood of goats.

¹⁴I am God Most High! The only sacrifice I want

is for you to be thankful and to keep your wordH.

¹⁵Pray to me in time of trouble.

I will rescue you, and you will honor me.

¹⁶But to the wicked I say:

“You don't have the right to mention my laws

or claim to keep our agreement!

¹⁷You refused correction and rejected my commands.

¹⁸You made friends with every crook you met,

and you liked people who break their wedding vows.

¹⁹You talked only about violence and told nothing but lies;

²⁰you sat around gossiping,

ruining the reputation of your own relatives.”

²¹When you did all this, I didn't say a word,

and you thought, “God is just like us!”

But now I will accuse you.

²²You have ignored meP! So pay close attention

or I will tear you apart, and no one can help you.

²³The sacrifice that honors me is a thankful heart.

Obey me,*

and I, your God, will show my power to save.

The sacrifice that honors me is a thankful heart. Obey me and I, your God, will show my power to save.

— Ps 50.23