Psalms 50 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.

The Mighty God — God himself, Yahweh — has spoken and summoned the whole earth, from where the sun rises to where it sets.

From Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines out.

Our God comes — and he will not stay silent. A devouring fire goes ahead of him, a wild storm swirls around him.

He calls out to the sky above and to the earth below to witness the judgment of his people:

"Gather my committed ones to me — those who sealed a covenant with me through sacrifice."

And the skies declare that he is just, because God himself is the judge.

"Listen, my people — let me speak. Israel, let me lay out my case against you. I am God — your God.

I'm not accusing you because of your sacrifices — your burnt offerings are always before me.

I don't need a bull from your barn or goats from your pens.

Every animal in the forest is already mine, the cattle on a thousand hills belong to me.

I know every bird in the mountains. Everything that moves in the fields is mine.

If I were hungry, I wouldn't tell you — because the world and everything in it is mine.

Do you think I eat the meat of bulls? Do you think I drink the blood of goats?

Offer your gratitude as your sacrifice to God, and follow through on what you promised the Most High.

Then call on me when you're in trouble — I will rescue you, and you will honor me."

But to the corrupt, God says: "Who gave you the right to recite my laws or talk about my covenant?

You hate my correction and throw my words behind your back.

When you see a thief, you team up with him. You keep company with those who break their marriage vows.

You let your mouth run with evil, and your tongue is always crafting lies.

You sit around and trash-talk your own brother. You slander your own mother's son.

You did all this, and I kept quiet. You actually thought I was just like you. But now I'm confronting you — laying out the charges right to your face.

Think carefully about this, you who forget God — before I tear you apart with no one to save you.

The one who offers gratitude as a sacrifice — that person honors me. And to the one who stays on the right path, I will show the rescue that only God can bring."