Psalms

¹The Mighty One, God, the LORD, speaks, and calls the earth from sunrise to sunset. ²Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines out. ³Our God comes, and does not keep silent. A fire devours before him. It is very stormy around him. ⁴He calls to the heavens above, to the earth, that he may judge his people: ⁵“Gather my saints together to me, those who have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.” ⁶The heavens shall declare his righteousness, for God himself is judge. Selah. ⁷“Hear, my people, and I will speak. Israel, I will testify against you. I am God, your God. ⁸I don’t rebuke you for your sacrifices. Your burnt offerings are continually before me. ⁹I have no need for a bull from your stall, nor male goats from your pens. ¹⁰For every animal of the forest is mine, and the livestock on a thousand hills. ¹¹I know all the birds of the mountains. The wild animals of the field are mine. ¹²If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world is mine, and all that is in it. ¹³Will I eat the meat of bulls, or drink the blood of goats? ¹⁴Offer to God the sacrifice of thanksgiving. Pay your vows to the Most High. ¹⁵Call on me in the day of trouble. I will deliver you, and you will honor me.” ¹⁶But to the wicked God says, “What right do you have to declare my statutes, that you have taken my covenant on your lips, ¹⁷since you hate instruction, and throw my words behind you? ¹⁸When you saw a thief, you consented with him, and have participated with adulterers. ¹⁹“You give your mouth to evil. Your tongue frames deceit. ²⁰You sit and speak against your brother. You slander your own mother’s son. ²¹You have done these things, and I kept silent. You thought that I was just like you. I will rebuke you, and accuse you in front of your eyes. ²²“Now consider this, you who forget God, lest I tear you into pieces, and there be no one to deliver. ²³Whoever offers the sacrifice of thanksgiving glorifies me, and prepares his way so that I will show God’s salvation to him.”