Psalm 50
Words: The Psalter of the United Presbyterian Church of North America, 1887 ed.
There is also a Short Metre version of this Psalm on this page
1 The mighty God Jehovah spoke,
And called the earth upon,
Even from the rising of the sun
To where he goeth down.
2 Where beauty in perfection shines,
And crowns the hill of God,
Ev'n Zion hill, from thence the Lord
In glory shone abroad.
3 Our God shall come, nor silence keep,
Jehovah shall speak out;
Before him fire shall waste, great storms
Shall compass him about.
4 He to the heavens from above,
And to the earth below
Shall call that he his judgment may
Before his people show.
5 Now unto me let all my saints
Together gathered be,
Those that by sacrifice have made
A covenant with me.
6 And then the heavens shall declare
His righteousness abroad;
Because the Lord himself doth come
None else is judge hut God.
7 Hear, O my people, and I'll speak; O Israel by name, Against thee I will testify; For God, thy God, I am.
8 Because of sacrifices, I
Reprove thee never will,
Nor for burnt-off'rings which have been
Before me offered still.
9 I'll take no bullock nor he-goats
From house nor folds of thine
For beasts of forests, cattle all
On thousand hills are mine.
10 The fowls are all to me well known
That mountains high do yield;
I also claim as all my own
The wild beasts of the field.
11 If I were hungry, I would not
To thee for need complain;
For earth, and all its fullness, doth
To me of right pertain.
12 That I to eat the flesh of hulls
Take pleasure dost thou think?
Or that, to quench my thirst, I need
The blood of goats to drink?
13 Nay, rather unto me thy God,
Thanksgiving offer thou;
To him who is the Lord Most High,
Pay faithfully thy vow.
14 And when the day of trouble comes,
Thou unto me shalt cry;
I will deliver thee, and thou
My name shalt glorify.
15 But to the wicked man God saith,
Why shouldst thou mention make
Of my commands? Why dost thou in
Thy mouth my cov'nant take?
16 Since thou instruction in thy way
Perversely hated hast,
And since my words behind thy back
Thou with contempt dost cast.
17 When thou didst see a thief, with him
Thou didst consent in sin,
And with the vile adulterers,
Partaker thou hast been.
18 Thy mouth to evil thou dost give,
Thy tongue deceit doth frame.
Thou sit'st thy brother to revile,
Thy mother's son to shame.
19 These things thou wickedly hast dons,
And I have silent been;
Thou thought'st that I was like thyself,
And did approve thy sin.
20 But I will sharply thee reprove
For this thy evil way,
And all thy wicked deeds I will
Before thy face array.
21 Consider this, and be afraid,
Ye that forget the Lord,
Lest I in pieces tear you all,
When none can help afford.
22 He glorifies my name who brings
The sacrifice of praise;
I'll God's salvation show to him
Who orders right his ways.
1 The mighty God, the Lord,
Hath spoken unto all;
From rising to the setting sun,
He unto earth doth call.
2 From Zion, his own hill,
Where perfect beauty dwells,
Jehovah hath his glory shown
In brightness that excels.
3 Our God shall surely come,
Keep silence shall not he:
Before him fire shall waste, great storms
Shall round about him be.
4 Then to the heavens high
He from above shall call,
And likewise to the earth that he
May judge his people all.
5 Together let my saints
Be gathered unto me,
Those that by sacrifice have made
A covenant with me.
6 The heavens then shall show
His righteousness abroad;
Because the Lord himself is judge;
Yea, none is judge but God.
7 O ye my people, hear,
I'll speak and testify
Against thee, O thou Israel,
For God, thy God am I.
8 For sacrifices I
No blame will on thee lay,
Nor for burnt-off'rings which to me
Are offered every day.
9 I'll take no calf nor goats
From house or fold of thine;
For beasts of forests, cattle all
On thousand hills, are mine.
l0 The fowls on mountains high
Are all to me well known;
Wild beasts which in the fields do lie,
Even they are all my own.
11 Then, if I hungry were,
I would not tell it thee;
Because the world with fullness stored
Belongs alone to me.
12 Will I cat flesh of bulls?
Or goats' blood drink will I
Thanksgiving offer thou, and pay
Thy vows to God Most High.
13 And call upon me when
In trouble thou shalt be;
I will deliver thee, and thou
My name shalt glorify.
14 But to the wicked man
God saith, My laws and truth
Shouldst thou declare ? Why dost thou take
My cov'nant in thy mouth
15 Since good instruction thou
Perversely hated hast;
And since my words behind thy back
Thou with contempt dost cast.
16 Thou gavest thy consent
When thou a thief hast seen;
And with the vile adulterers
Partaker thou hast been.
17 Thy mouth to ill is given;
Thy tongue deceit doth frame;
Thou sitst thy brother to revile,
Thy mother's son to shame.
18 Because I silence kept,
While thou these things hast wrought;
That I was wholly like thyself
Has been thy impious thought.
19 Yet I will thee reprove
For this thy evil way,
And all thy wicked deeds I will
Before thy face array.
20 Now ye that God forget,
Consider this with care,
Lest I, when there is none to save,
Do you in pieces tear.
21 He honors me who brings
The sacrifice of praise,
I'll God's salvation show to him
Who orders right his ways.
