1 A Psalme of Asaph. The God of Gods, euen the Lord hath spoken and called the earth from the rising vp of the sunne vnto the going downe thereof. 2 Out of Zion, which is the perfection of beautie, hath God shined. 3 Our God shall come and shall not keepe silence: a fire shall deuoure before him, and a mightie tempest shall be mooued round about him. 4 Hee shall call the heauen aboue, and the earth to iudge his people. 5 Gather my Saints together vnto me, those that make a couenant with me with sacrifice. 6 And the heauens shall declare his righteousnes: for God is iudge himselfe. Selah. 7 Heare, O my people, and I wil speake: heare, O Israel, and I wil testifie vnto thee: for I am God, euen thy God. 8 I wil not reproue thee for thy sacrifices, or thy burnt offerings, that haue not bene continually before me. 9 I will take no bullocke out of thine house, nor goates out of thy foldes. 10 For all the beastes of the forest are mine, and the beastes on a thousand mountaines. 11 I knowe all the foules on the mountaines: and the wilde beastes of the fielde are mine. 12 If I bee hungry, I will not tell thee: for the world is mine, and all that therein is. 13 Will I eate the flesh of bulles? or drinke the blood of goates? 14 Offer vnto God praise, and pay thy vowes vnto the most High, 15 And call vpon me in the day of trouble: so will I deliuer thee, and thou shalt glorifie me. 16 But vnto the wicked said God, What hast thou to doe to declare mine ordinances, that thou shouldest take my couenant in thy mouth, 17 Seeing thou hatest to bee reformed, and hast cast my wordes behinde thee? 18 For when thou seest a thiefe, thou runnest with him, and thou art partaker with the adulterers. 19 Thou giuest thy mouth to euill, and with thy tongue thou forgest deceit. 20 Thou sittest, and speakest against thy brother, and slanderest thy mothers sonne. 21 These things hast thou done, and I held my tongue: therefore thou thoughtest that I was like thee: but I will reproue thee, and set them in order before thee. 22 Oh cosider this, ye that forget God, least I teare you in pieces, and there be none that can deliuer you. 23 He that offereth praise, shall glorifie mee: and to him, that disposeth his way aright, will I shew the saluation of God.
True Worship
1 The Almighty God, the Lord, speaks;
he calls to the whole earth from east to west.
2 God shines from Zion,
the city perfect in its beauty.
3 Our God is coming, but not in silence;
a raging fire is in front of him,
a furious storm around him.
4 He calls heaven and earth as witnesses
to see him judge his people.
5 He says, “Gather my faithful people to me,
those who made a covenant with me by offering a sacrifice.”
6 The heavens proclaim that God is righteous,
that he himself is judge.
7 “Listen, my people, and I will speak;
I will testify against you, Israel.
I am God, your God.
8 I do not reprimand you because of your sacrifices
and the burnt offerings you always bring me.
9 And yet I do not need bulls from your farms
or goats from your flocks;
10 all the animals in the forest are mine
and the cattle on thousands of hills.
11 All the wild birds are mine
and all living things in the fields.
12 “If I were hungry, I would not ask you for food,
for the world and everything in it is mine.
13 Do I eat the flesh of bulls
or drink the blood of goats?
14 Let the giving of thanks be your sacrifice to God,
and give the Almighty all that you promised.
15 Call to me when trouble comes;
I will save you,
and you will praise me.”
16 But God says to the wicked,
“Why should you recite my commandments?
Why should you talk about my covenant?
17 You refuse to let me correct you;
you reject my commands.
18 You become the friend of every thief you see,
and you associate with adulterers.
19 “You are always ready to speak evil;
you never hesitate to tell lies.
20 You are ready to accuse your own relatives
and to find fault with them.
21 You have done all this, and I have said nothing,
so you thought that I am like you.
But now I reprimand you
and make the matter plain to you.
22 “Listen to this, you that ignore me,
or I will destroy you,
and there will be no one to save you.
23 Giving thanks is the sacrifice that honors me,
and I will surely save all who obey me.”