The Mighty One Calls

A Psalm of Asaph.

¹ The Mighty One, God the LORD,

speaks and summons the earth

from where the sun rises to where it sets.

² From Zion, perfect in beauty,^*

God shines forth.

³ Our God approaches and will not be silent!

Consuming fire precedes Him,

and a tempest rages around Him.

⁴ He summons the heavens above,

and the earth, that He may judge His people:

⁵ “Gather to Me My saints,

who made a covenant with Me by sacrifice.”

⁶ And the heavens proclaim His righteousness,

for God Himself is Judge.

Selah

⁷ “Hear, O My people, and I will speak,

O Israel, and I will testify against you:

I am God, your God.

⁸ I do not rebuke you for your sacrifices,

and your burnt offerings are ever before Me.

⁹ I have no need for a bull from your stall

or goats from your pens,

¹⁰ for every beast of the forest is Mine —

the cattle^* on a thousand hills.

¹¹ I know every bird in the mountains,

and the creatures of the field are Mine.

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

for the world is Mine, and the fullness thereof.

¹³ Do I eat the flesh of bulls,

or drink the blood of goats?

¹⁴ Sacrifice a thank offering^* to God,

and fulfill your vows to the Most High.

¹⁵ Call upon Me in the day of trouble;

I will deliver you, and you will honor Me.”

¹⁶ To the wicked, however, God says,

“What right have you to recite My statutes

and to bear^* My covenant on your lips?

¹⁷ For you hate My instruction

and cast My words behind you.

¹⁸ When you see a thief, you befriend him,

and throw in your lot^* with adulterers.

¹⁹ You unleash your mouth for evil

and harness your tongue to deceit.

²⁰ You sit and malign your brother;

you slander your own mother’s son.

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

you thought I was just like you.

But now I rebuke you

and accuse you to your face.

²² Now consider this, you who forget God,

lest I tear you to pieces,

with no one to rescue you:

²³ He who sacrifices a thank offering^* honors Me,

and to him who rightly orders his way,

I will show the salvation of God.”