Psalm 50

A Psalm of Asaph.

FIRST VERSION (S.M.)

1        The mighty God, the Lord,

                   hath spoken, and did call

          The earth, from rising of the sun,

                   to where he hath his fall.

2        From out of Sion hill,

                   which of excellency

          And beauty the perfection is,

                   God shined gloriously.

3        Our God shall surely come,

                   keep silence shall not he:

          Before him fire shall waste, great storms

                   shall round about him be.

4        Unto the heavens clear

                   he from above shall call,

          And to the earth likewise, that he

                   may judge his people all.

5        Together let my saints

                   unto me gather'd be,

          Those that by sacrifice have made

                   a covenant with me.

6        And then the heavens shall

                   his righteousness declare:

          Because the Lord himself is he

                   by whom men judged are.

7        My people Isr'el hear,

                   speak will I from on high,

          Against thee I will testify;

                   God, ev'n thy God, am I.

8        I for thy sacrifice

                   no blame will on thee lay,

          Nor for burnt-off'rings, which to me

                   thou offer'dst ev'ry day.

9        I'll take no calf nor goats

                   from house or fold of thine:

10      For beasts of forests, cattle all

                   on thousand hills, are mine.

11      The fowls on mountains high

                   are all to me well known;

          Wild beasts which in the fields do lie,

                   ev'n they are all mine own.

12      Then, if I hungry were,

                   I would not tell it thee;

          Because the world, and fulness all

                   thereof, belongs to me.

13      Will I eat flesh of bulls?

                   or goats' blood drink will I?

14      Thanks offer thou to God, and pay

                   thy vows to the most High.

15      And call upon me when

                   in trouble thou shalt be;

          I will deliver thee, and thou

                   my name shalt glorify.

16      But to the wicked man

                   God saith, My laws and truth

          Should'st thou declare? how dar'st thou take

                   my cov'nant in thy mouth?

17      Sith thou instruction hat'st,

                   which should thy ways direct;

          And sith my words behind thy back

                   thou cast'st, and dost reject.

18      When thou a thief didst see,

                   with him thou didst consent;

          And with the vile adulterers

                   partaker on thou went.

19      Thou giv'st thy mouth to ill,

                   thy tongue deceit doth frame;

20      Thou sitt'st, and 'gainst thy brother speak'st,

                   thy mother's son dost shame.

21      Because I silence kept,

                   while thou these things hast wrought;

          That I was altogether like

                   thyself, hath been thy thought;

          Yet I will thee reprove,

                   and set before thine eyes,

          In order ranked, thy misdeeds

                   and thine iniquities.

22      Now, ye that God forget,

                   this carefully consider;

          Lest I in pieces tear you all,

                   and none can you deliver.

23      Whoso doth offer praise

                   me glorifies; and I

          Will shew him God's salvation,

                   that orders right his way.