God the Righteous Judge
A Psalm of Asaph.
The aMighty One, God the Lord,
Has spoken and called the earth
From the rising of the sun to its going down.
2 Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty,
aGod will shine forth.
3 Our God shall come, and shall not keep silent;
aA fire shall devour before Him,
And it shall be very tempestuous all around Him.
4 aHe shall call to the heavens from above,
And to the earth, that He may judge His people:
5 “Gather aMy saints together to Me,
bThose who have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice.”
6 Let the aheavens declare His righteousness,
For bGod Himself is Judge.
Selah
7 “Hear, O My people, and I will speak,
O Israel, and I will testify against you;
aI am God, your God!
8 aI will not rebuke you bfor your sacrifices
Or your burnt offerings,
Which are continually before Me.
9 aI will not take a bull from your house,
Nor goats out of your folds.
10 For every beast of the forest is Mine,
And the cattle on a thousand hills.
11 I know all the birds of the mountains,
And the wild beasts of the field are Mine.
12 “If I were hungry, I would not tell you;
aFor the world is Mine, and all its fullness.
13 aWill I eat the flesh of bulls,
Or drink the blood of goats?
14 aOffer to God thanksgiving,
And bpay your vows to the Most High.
15 aCall upon Me in the day of trouble;
I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.”
16 But to the wicked God says:
“What right have you to declare My statutes,
Or take My covenant in your mouth,
17 aSeeing you hate instruction
And cast My words behind you?
18 When you saw a thief, you aconsented with him,
And have been a bpartaker with adulterers.
19 You give your mouth to evil,
And ayour 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 kept silent;
aYou thought that I was altogether like you;
But I will rebuke you,
And bset them in order before your eyes.
22 “Now consider this, you who aforget God,
Lest I tear you in pieces,
And there be none to deliver:
23 Whoever offers praise glorifies Me;
And ato him who orders his conduct aright
I will show the salvation of God.”
The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson.
All rights reserved.