God Himself Is Judge
A Psalm of Asaph.
aThe Mighty One, God, Yahweh, has spoken,
And called the earth bfrom the rising of the sun to its setting.
2 Out of Zion, athe perfection of beauty,
God bhas shone forth.
3 May our God acome and not be silent;
bFire devours before Him,
And ca storm whirls around Him.
4 He acalls the heavens above,
And the earth, to render justice to His people:
5 “Gather My aholy ones to Me,
Those who have cut a bcovenant with Me by csacrifice.”
6 And the aheavens declare His righteousness,
For bGod Himself is judge. Selah.
7 “aHear, O My people, and I will speak;
O Israel, I will testify against you;
I am God, byour God.
8 I do anot reprove you for your sacrifices,
And your burnt offerings are continually before Me.
9 I shall take no ayoung bull out of your house
Nor male goats out of your folds.
10 For aevery beast of the forest is Mine,
The cattle on a thousand hills.
11 I know every abird of the mountains,
And everything that moves in the field is Mine.
12 If I were hungry I would not tell you,
For the aworld is Mine, as well as its fullness.
13 Shall I eat the flesh of abulls
Or drink the blood of male goats?
14 Offer to God aa sacrifice of thanksgiving
And bpay your vows to the Most High;
15 aCall upon Me in the day of distress;
I shall brescue you, and you will cglorify Me.”
16 But to the wicked God says,
“What right have you to recount My statutes
And to take aMy covenant in your mouth?
17 For you ahate discipline,
And you bcast My words behind you.
18 When you see a thief, you aare pleased with him,
And you bassociate with adulterers.
19 You alet your mouth loose in evil
And you harness your btongue for deceit.
20 You sit and aspeak against your brother;
You slander your own mother’s son.
21 These things you have done and aI kept silent;
You thought that I was just like you;
I will breprove you and state the case in order before your eyes.
22 “Now consider this, you who aforget God,
Lest I btear you in pieces, and there will be none to deliver.
23 He who aoffers a sacrifice of thanksgiving glorifies Me;
And he who borders his way,
I shall cshow the salvation of God.”