PSALM 50 [†]  o The Mighty One, God the LORD,

speaks and summons the earth

 p from the rising of the sun to its setting.

2 Out of Zion,  q the perfection of beauty,

 r God shines forth.

3 Our God comes; he  s does not keep silence; [1]

before him is a devouring  t fire,

around him a mighty tempest.

4[^]  u He calls to the heavens above

and to the earth, that he may judge his people:

5 “Gather to me my faithful ones,

who made  v a covenant with me by sacrifice!”

6  w The heavens declare his righteousness,

for  x God himself is judge! Selah

7[†]  y “Hear, O my people, and I will speak;

O Israel, I will testify against you.

 z I am God, your God.

8 Not for your sacrifices  a do I rebuke you;

your burnt offerings are continually before me.

9 I will not accept a bull from your house

or goats from your folds.

10 For every beast of the forest is mine,

the cattle on a thousand hills.

11  b I know all the birds of the hills,

and all that moves in the field is mine.

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

 c for the world and its fullness are mine.

13 Do I eat the flesh of bulls

or drink the blood of goats?

14  d Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, [2]

and  e perform your vows to the Most High,

15[^] and  f call upon me in the day of trouble;

I will  g deliver you, and you shall  h glorify me.”

16[†] But to the wicked God says:

“What right have you to recite my statutes

or take my covenant on your lips?

17  i For you hate discipline,

 j and you cast my words behind you.

18 If you see a thief,  k you are pleased with him,

 l and you keep company with adulterers.

19 “You give your mouth free rein for evil,

 m and your tongue frames deceit.

20 You sit and speak against your brother;

you slander your own mother’s son.

21[†] These things you have done, and I  n have been silent;

you thought that I [3] was one like yourself.

But now I  o rebuke you and  p lay the charge before you.

22 “Mark this, then, you who  q forget God,

lest I tear you apart, and there be  r none to deliver!

23[†] The one who  s offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me;

to one who  t orders his way rightly

I will show the  u salvation of God!”

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, when  v Nathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.